Return to TFB Main Page
Return to Texas Agriculture Archive

August 3, 2001

TFB seeks entries for
Farmer Idea Exchange

Could you stand one-year's free use of a New Holland bidirectional tractor?

Some talented farmer and rancher will take that grand prize as the winner of the American Farm Bureau Federation Farmer Idea Exchange.

The program is geared to surface inventions, equipment modifications, innovative crops, marketing techniques and practices that farmers have developed and used. It is designed to encourage Farm Bureau members to share their innovative ideas and help farmers find ways to cut costs, become more efficient, improve the environment and improve net farm income.

"This is a great opportunity to share `ideas that work' on your farm or ranch," said George Caldwell, associate director of commodity and regulatory activities for the Texas Farm Bureau. "Maybe you will follow in the footsteps of Texas Farm Bureau member C.W. Forsyth. He won the `most likely to improve a farmer's net income' award in the contest last year with his poultry placer paper."

According to Caldwell, the idea judged best of show at AFBF's annual convention in Reno, Nev., in January will be provided one year's free use of a New Holland TV-140 Bidirectional tractor. AFBF will also provide $250 cash awards to each of the entrants of the three ideas selected as "Special Ideas" for the most innovative, the most widely usable, and the most likely to improve an individual farmer's net income.

Up to 15 farmer ideas from across the nation may be selected as a part of AFBF's convention. Farmers who submitted those ideas will come to the convention and post pictures, illustrations, graphs and short written descriptive materials on a display board. They will also stand or sit by their presentation during trade show hours and will visit convention attendees. AFBF will pay up to $1,000 in expenses for those selected as winning ideas.

Rules of the program are as follows:

• The contest is open to Farm Bureau member families in participating Farm Bureau member states. Farm Bureau employees may not enter.

• The competition is intended for individuals. However, products already being marketed or procedures being publicly implemented may be submitted. Acceptance of the entry is subject to the approval of judges.

• Entrants must submit to the Texas Farm Bureau a completed set of official entry forms by Sept. 14. Those forms can be obtained at your local County Farm Bureau office and should include: 1) the Official Entry, Affirmation of Entry Originality and Release Form; 2) the Official Scoring Form; 3) a one-page typed description; and 4) two 4" X 6" color photographs (no slides and no instant type print photos).

• Categories include soil quality, livestock, crops, management systems, input efficiency, equipment, energy, marketing, safety and handicap helpers, farm shop ideas, water management, wildlife, farm buildings, rotational grazing and tobacco.

• Texas Farm Bureau will judge the ideas submitted from Texas. Judging will be based solely on the information contained in the entry forms and photographs. Texas will then submit up to 15 entries to AFBF (but no more than two from each category).

• Judging by AFBF to determine the best idea in each category and the Best of Show will be conducted prior to the convention.

Caldwell reminded Texas Farm Bureau members that entries need to be in the state office by Sept. 14. Completed entry forms (obtained at the local county Farm Bureau office and photographs should be sent to: George Caldwell, Texas Farm Bureau, P.O. Box 2689, Waco, Tex. 76702.