Keiko Osumi provides a solution to an issue presented to the group during the Discussion Meet competition.
Gainesville, Fla. – Keiko Osumi used her discussion skills and strong agricultural knowledge to place as a Sweet Sixteen finalist in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Discussion Meet competitive event at the organization’s annual meeting in San Diego, Jan. 11-14.
Osumi advanced to the national Discussion Meet competition after winning the Florida Discussion Meet in October.
The Discussion Meet is one of three competitive events that give Young Farmers & Ranchers, ages 18-35, an opportunity to display and test their skill levels. It is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each participant. Participants build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems.
Thirty-seven state award winners competed in the Young Farmers & Rancher national Discussion Meet. Osumi effectively answered the following questions to advance into the Sweet Sixteen:
- How would the condition of government-managed public lands change if they were managed privately? What are the pros and cons of government ownership of land versus private ownership?
- The farm bill crop insurance provisions offer a safety net for crop loss due to the natural disaster and/or price risk. Should a safety net for livestock producers be developed, and what provisions might it include?
Osumi is a fourth generation of an American farming family. She resides in Gainesville, Fla. She is employed as a crop protection representative covering North Florida and South Georgia for Dow AgroSciences. Osumi holds a B.S. in agricultural business and a B.A. in political science, both from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.