Texas Farm Bureau Encourages Youth to ‘Speak Out for Agriculture’

During a strategic planning meeting in 2018, Texas Farm Bureau outlined a goal to enhance and expand its educational outreach to millions of Texans. The Speak Out for Agriculture (SOFA) Challenge was created in partnership with Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo to promote youth interest in agriculture and develop informed consumers.

SOFA Challenge Overview

First hosted in 2021, the SOFA Challenge is a two-day event consisting of four rounds of competition. On day one, participants are given a topic and one hour to research and prepare a 90-second response, which they then present to a panel of judges. Once all participants complete the first two rounds, scores are totaled, and the top 16 scorers advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

The Sweet Sixteen occurs on day two, shifting from a stand-and-deliver format to a discussion-based format. Similar to day one, a topic is drawn for the Sweet Sixteen round, and students are given one hour to prepare before delivering a brief opening statement. They then have 20-25 minutes to discuss the topic collectively in front of the judges.

After the Sweet Sixteen, the process is repeated with the Final Four. Students are given a new topic and time to prepare before completing an additional discussion. Once completed, judges tally their scores to deliver a final placing. 

The contest is open to 4-H and FFA high school students across the state. Participants are encouraged to view the challenge as a collective conversation, not a debate. They should remain flexible and open to fluid discussion as they work together to solve agricultural issues.

SOFA Challenge awards are quite generous, encouraging steep competition amongst participants. The top 16 individuals each receive a $125 gift card and the top four scorers receive a monetary scholarship, a custom jacket and a banner.

SOFA Challenge Impact

The event is only two days in length, but to be successful, participants must ready themselves by understanding current issues facing agriculture while preparing their thoughts and opinions on solutions to these issues.

“The SOFA Challenge expands and challenges participants’ existing thoughts, ideas and attitudes toward emerging and critical issues in agriculture,” said Whit Weems, director of Organization at Texas Farm Bureau. “A prepared SOFA Challenge participant will research the critical and emerging issues presented prior to competition weekend, thus increasing their knowledge on the topics.”

Local county Farm Bureau members and leaders serve as resources to participants as they prepare for the contest. They help students understand current issues in agriculture, the importance of grassroots leadership and how Farm Bureau advocates for farmers and ranchers across the U.S.  

The 2024 SOFA Challenge will be hosted on Sept. 28-29 in Waco. For more information and to view the 2024 Challenge Manual, visit Texas Farm Bureau’s Youth Opportunities webpage.

New Horizon Award

The Speak Out for Agriculture Challenge garnered Texas Farm Bureau a 2024 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.