Hartke Wins State Discussion Contest, Headed for Nationals

Taylor Hartke of Teutopolis recently won the first-ever virtual Collegiate Farm Bureau Discussion Meet. She will have the opportunity to represent Illinois in the national Collegiate Discussion Meet, which is currently scheduled to be part of the American Farm Bureau Federation FUSION Conference in March.

Hartke is a junior studying majoring in agricultural communications with a minor in agribusiness economics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). She grew up on her family's diversified grain and livestock operation, raising swine, dairy steers, corn, soybeans and wheat. She is the daughter of Dave and Korrie Hartke.

She served as Illinois Farm Bureau Consumer Engagement Intern during the summer and will return to that position this summer.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the collegiate discussion meet was conducted virtually. The competitors played a key role in the success of the meet, as they were timely, professional and offered insightful discussion to controversial topics surrounding agriculture. Many IFB staff also volunteered their time and energy to make it a success.

(ALEX HARTKE)

In addition to Hartke, competitors included:

• Seth Mitchell of Richland County, University of Illinois (U of I), second;
• Justin Huff of Jefferson County, U of I, third;
• Alex Hartke of Effingham County, SIUC, (Taylor's brother) fourth;
• Katie Smith of Bureau County, Illinois State University;
• Alexa Jacobs of Bureau County, SIUC;
• Coy Crull, a Wabash County Farm Bureau member, Wabash Valley College (WVC);
• Zachary Becker of Lee County, U of I; and
• Halley Kocher of Edwards County, WVC.

Discussion meet topics, which participants received in advance, included ways to enhance economic sustainability of agriculture and rural communities; efforts to bolster existing foreign trade relationships and build new ones; and identifying tools and production practices to reduce climate and weather risks.