Spinetta Wins 2005 Discussion Meet

Story Courtesy Dave Kranz: California Farm Bureau Federation, December 14, 2005 After the most highly contested competition ever, an Amador County farmer emerged the winner in the annual Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet. Family farmer Jim Spinetta of Plymouth won the 2005 Discussion Meet, which was held during the California Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Monterey. A record 68 contestants participated in the competition. Participants in the annual contest discuss a pre-determined topic and are judged on their ability to exchange ideas and information, think logically and solve problems cooperatively. The final round of the Discussion Meet focused on the topic, "Where will tomorrow's agricultural work force come from?" "A nation that fails to secure its work force cannot be secure at home," Spinetta said during the contest. "Ultimately, we need a system that is going to work for the farmers and the people, to sustain it into the future."

Developing Strengths

Spinetta, who was recently elected president of the Amador County Farm Bureau, is a graduate of the Leadership Farm Bureau program who earned the Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award in 2004. He will represent California in the national Discussion Meet, to be held next month during the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn. For winning the statewide competition, Spinetta earned a 2006 Dodge 1500 quad-cab pickup truck and $4,000 in cash. Each of three runners-up in the competition earned cash prizes. Tim Chiala of Santa Clara County was named first runner-up, Justin Oldfield of Sacramento County was second runner-up and Megan Bowen of Kern County was third runner-up. In a separate competition, Beth Sequeira, a senior in agricultural communications at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, won the 2005 Collegiate Discussion Meet, earning a $500 cash prize. Lucas Browning of California State University, Chico, earned first runner-up honors; Meggie Fagundes of CSU Fresno was second runner-up and Bryanna Fissori of CSU Chico was third runner-up. A team from Cal Poly won the team competition. The California Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers program encourages members aged 18 to 35 to become active in leadership to protect family farms and ranches.

We encourage you to visit the CFBF website to read more about the goings on in modern day agriculture. Consider yourself cordially invited to join the Farm Bureau -- look for your local county's group on their website. Everyone is eligible to apply for Farm Bureau membership. Read about the 2005 Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet. Read a Dec. 15, 2004 Modesto Bee article about Jim in the Leadership Farm Bureau. Read about the Nov. 14, 2004 broadcast on California Country Television (a Farm Bureau show) that follows the last day of harvest in Spinetta Family Vineyards. Read about the 2002 Leadership Farm Bureau program.