Ag News
Inspiration, belonging on display at YF&R Conference
Posted on Jul 23, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Whether it was inspiration from keynote speaker Amberley Snyder, practical advice on succession planning or sharing fellowship with farm and ranch peers from around the state, attendees at the 2025 Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Summer Leadership Conference found a sense of belonging.
The conference, held July 16-19 on Jekyll Island, operated with the theme, “Where You Belong.”
During the opening session on July 17, GFB President Tom McCall thanked the young farmers and ranchers for taking time to attend and emphasized that the organization needs their involvement to continue carrying out its mission of influencing legislators to affect public policy.
“On our trip to D.C., those folks up there listened to y’all,” McCall said. “Y’all are the ones in a position to influence what happens on farms. We want you to get involved. Get in touch with your county’s legislative committee chair. We need you on that legislative committee.”
Professional rodeo cowgirl Snyder inspired the Netflix movie “Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” She provided the keynote address at the opening session, sharing her experiences, observations and motivations as she has transitioned into life as a paraplegic following a 2010 vehicle accident.
Her journey from the accident to winning a national championship as a barrel racer has taken her from relearning basic life skills, adjusting to new ways to get on and ride a horse and driving a pickup adapted with a complete array of hand controls.
She’s also dated, gotten married, zip-lined in her wheelchair, paraglided, written a book and produced the movie. At every step, there have been people who helped her see a way through.
Snyder competes on an elite level as a barrel racer. Her time of 15.3 seconds at RFD-TV’s The American Rodeo was just 0.6 seconds off the winning time.
“There will be experiences in all of our lives when we need help,” Snyder said. “Just because I had to have help doesn’t lessen my achievements.”
Snyder emphasized a handful of key points.
She shared her thoughts on overcoming obstacles.
“We don’t get to choose our obstacles, but we do get to choose how we will handle them,” she said. “When you come to a limit you think you have, take one more step.”
She talked about looking around periodically while pursuing her life’s passions.
“Sometimes we get so focused on where we’re going that we forget to enjoy the view,” Snyder said.
Snyder emphasized that whatever a person’s journey is, progress is a reward that can keep them going.
“We get to decide what we’re capable of. There is no future in giving up,” she said.
To learn more about Snyder, visit https://amberleysnyder.org/ .
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) President Dr. Tracy Brundage shared the Tifton school’s value, noting that the ABAC YF&R Club is one of the most active groups on campus and encouraged attendees to absorb all they could.
“I hope you leave here with a full heart,” Brundage said. “You’re not just the future of agriculture. You’re the heart of it.”
Following a networking luncheon on July 18, attendees participated in a live recording of GFB’s “Growing On” podcast, which featured YF&R Committee member Garrett Hurley and attorney Taylor Broun of James, Bates, Brannen, Groover. Their discussion centered on succession planning and the perils of not doing it well or not doing it at all.
The young farmers and ranchers teamed up for a service project, packing more than 13,000 meals for distribution to a local food bank. They learned about GFB’s organizational structure through meetings with district YF&R chairs and district federation managers, as well as a breakout session on the opportunities available to them through the YF&R program. And they had chances to socialize at the annual fish fry at Great Dunes Park on July 17 and an evening social on July 18.
The conference also provided educational opportunities, with six different breakout sessions on the agenda. On July 18, attendees were treated to presentations on agricultural education tools from Georgia Public Broadcasting and the Public Broadcasting System. Another session called “Weathering the Storm” looked at mental wellness on the farm, and a third, “Conflict Resolution: Turning Tension into Teamwork,” helped attendees identify personal approaches to conflict resolution.
On July 19, Dr. Dennis Holder, a Macon-based emergency medical physician, walk attendees through a variety of farm-related injuries and how to avoid them. The Georgia Farms Fund presented information about its program to help young and beginning farmers gain access to land. A final session, titled “Rooted in Opportunity: A Panel of Young Voices in Ag,” involved GFB competitive event winners and staff sharing the organization’s purpose and the numerous ways young farmers and ranchers can get involved.
Screven County Farm Bureau was recognized for having the most attendees, with 17, and GFB District 2 in Northeast Georgia was recognized for the highest district attendance with 52.
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