Ag Majors Receive Cash Prizes for Winning Top Spots at First TSU Farm Bureau Collegiate Meet

From left (front row) Agricultural Science majors Rachel Gregory, Rickey Jackson, Leah Symonnette won top prizes at the first Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet organized by TSU. Standing, from left, are Dan Strasser, of the Tennessee Farm Bureau; Dr. John Hall, coordinator of the TSU event; and Randy Abrams, also of the Farm Bureau. (courtesy photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Three undergraduate students from the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences at Tennessee State University took home cash prizes for their “exceptional” performance at the inaugural TSU Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet held on campus April 3.

Freshman Leah Symonette, of Mt. Juliet, took first prize and received $700; junior Rachel Gregory, of Gallatin, placed second and received $400; and Rickey Jackson, a senior from Rossville, placed third and received $200. The three Tennessee natives are all Agricultural Science majors.

Symonette and Gregory, as first and second place winners, will go on to compete in the state contest to be held at the Tennessee Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Columbia, Tenn., in July.

According to Dr. John Hall, assistant professor of Agricultural Education and Leadership and coordinator of the event at TSU, Collegiate Discussion Meets are designed to simulate committee meetings with “active and thoughtful participation” from contestants.

The discussion at the inaugural TSU collegiate meet centered on: “U.S. agriculture is one of the major industries for the American economy; what can farmers do to stimulate more economic growth?”

The Tennessee Farm Bureau organized the TSU contest, while the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation sponsored the cash prizes for top participants. Dan Strasser, director of Special Programs for the Tennessee Farm Bureau; and Randy Abrams, of the 2nd Ave. Farm Bureau Agency in Nashville, were on hand to represent the Bureau.

For more information about Tenn. Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers program, contact Strasser at (931) 388-7872 ext. 2214 or dstrasser@tfbf.com. For information about TSU’s Collegiate Discussion Meet, contact Dr. Hall at (615) 963-5139 or jhall33@tnstate.edu.

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