November 16, 2018—Sheridan College student Madison Anderson discussed agriculture issues at the Wyoming Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Collegiate Discussion Meet and earned $300 cash and an expense-paid trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Anderson competed Nov. 7 in Sheridan. Seven competitors representing Sheridan College and the University of Wyoming entered the competition. The competition is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected. Galen Kretschman, Sheridan College student, was named the runner-up and was awarded a $150 cash prize. A fourth-generation rancher from Arvada, Wyo., Kretschman is studying agriculture business. Rounding out the “Final Four” finalists were: Jessica Rossi, University of Wyoming (UW) and Gillian Petsch, Sheridan College. Rossi is a senior studying agriculture business. She also serves as the Collegiate Farm Bureau Chapter Chair at UW. Petsch is from Meriden and is studying agriculture business and communications. Contestants are given pre-determined topics. They are judged on their knowledge, speaking ability, ability to participate in a committee meeting and listen to others and air all points of view. All contestants competed in two rounds of competition. The top four advanced to the “Final Four” round. The “Final Four” discussion topic was: “In our modern world, the rapid dissemination of information and opinion about agriculture and food technologies can make it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Given these challenges, how can Farm Bureau best protect farmers’ and ranchers’ access to production technology options?” “I applaud the contestants in this year’s Collegiate Discussion Meet,” said Chalsey Kortes, out-going WyFB YF&R Competitive Events Sub-Committee Chair. “They took the questions and ran with them formulating great conclusions!” “We will be cheering Madison on as she heads to Milwaukee representing Wyoming Farm Bureau next March,” Kortes concluded. Anderson will represent the Wyoming Farm Bureau in the American Farm Bureau Federation Collegiate Discussion Meet March 15-18, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.   Anderson grew up on a ranch near Ten Sleep, Wyo. She is studying agriculture business at Sheridan College. FFA has played a large part in her agriculture involvement. The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general agriculture organization. Members work together from the grassroots to develop agricultural policy, programs and services to enhance the rural lifestyle of Wyoming. On the web, www.wyfb.org.