By Blake Jackson
Kallie Jo Coates of Racine County was named the winner of the 2024 Wisconsin Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Agriculturist (YFA) Discussion Meet during the organization’s 105th Annual Meeting and YFA Conference on December 8.
The Discussion Meet is a competitive panel discussion that evaluates participants aged 18 to 35 on their ability to articulate ideas, express opinions, and collaborate to find solutions to pressing agricultural issues.
Coates works at Harry Hansen Meat Service and operates as a marketing freelancer through Briar Marketing. Together with her husband, Devin, she manages Coates Farm, where they raise 150 laying hens alongside growing corn and forage crops.
A graduate of UW-Platteville with a degree in agricultural education, Coates later earned her master’s degree in agricultural communications from Texas Tech University.
As the state winner, Coates will represent Wisconsin at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in January. Coates was awarded $1,500, courtesy of GROWMARK, Inc., and will also be eligible to participate in the 2025 YFA Washington, D.C., Fly-In. Additionally, Coates will attend the 2025 YFA Conference as a guest of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF).
In addition to her other prizes, Coates received a chainsaw sponsored by Blain’s Farm and Fleet, along with awards provided by Farm Bureau, Rural Mutual Insurance, and GROWMARK, Inc.
The other finalists for the competition included Isaac Christensen of Polk-Burnett Farm Bureau, Stephanie Hoff of Dane County, and Collin Weltzien of Buffalo County.
Photo Credit: wisconsin-farm-bureau
Categories: Wisconsin, Government & Policy