BLOOMINGTON. — Isaac Brockman, a senior at Illinois State University studying ag business, took first place in Illinois Farm Bureau’s Collegiate Discussion Meet on Friday, Oct. 22. Brockman is from Verona and is a member of the Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau. He is currently serving as president of the Illinois State University Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter.

Brockman will go on to represent Illinois in the national Collegiate Discussion Meet at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Louisville, Ky., Feb. 25-28, 2022. His prizes include an expense-paid trip to the conference, a $200 cash prize, and a $1,500 scholarship courtesy of GROWMARK, Inc.

The discussion meet is an exchange of information and ideas about a particular topic and is an opportunity for students to exhibit open-mindedness and knowledge while retaining a flexible position. Instead of individuals disputing one another, the contestants practice teamwork and collaboration to brainstorm logical solutions to difficult problems facing the agriculture industry.

The meet is broken down into three parts: opening statements, open discussion, and closing statements. Contestants are scored by judges based on their problem solving and implementation, analysis of the topic, cooperative attitude, and delivery.

Other competitors who advanced to the final four round included Seth Mitchell (University of Illinois), Leah Moorman (Western Illinois University), and Zachary Zwiebel (Joliet Junior College).

The Illinois Farm Bureau is a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation, a national organization of farmers and ranchers. Founded in 1916, IFB is a non-profit, membership organization directed by farmers who join through their county Farm Bureau. IFB has a total membership of more than 372,326 and a voting membership of 77,462. IFB represents three out of four Illinois farmers.