DECATUR — Kevin Smith, 30, of Decatur, won the Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet at the 77th Annual Farm Bureau Convention held at the Peabody Hotel and Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.

The Farm Bureau program honors young farmers and ranchers ages 18-35. The discussion meet provides a forum for young farm leaders to demonstrate their verbal and problem-solving presentation skills while they discuss their views on issues affecting agriculture, according to a press release.

Smith was one of 17 competitors at the state meet, and answered questionsin front of an audience of more than 1,500 people.

Competitors were chosen first by county, then judges picked the top four to compete in the second and final round. Smith will go on to represent the state of Arkansas at the National Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Hawaii next month.

During the discussion meet, Smith answered questions dealing with proposed renewable energy policies, and convincing the public that the animal agriculture industry balances production efficiencies with the public’s expectations of animal care.

Smith lives in the Decatur area with his wife Jacque and two young daughters. He owns a poultry farm anda business that installs poultry houses for other farms. He is a graduate of Decatur High School and serves on the Benton county Farm Bureau Board and the Decatur School Board.

Smith won a Kawasaki Mule and the use of a new front-wheel assist Kubota tractor with a front-end loader for one year.

Other young farmers who received recognition at the convention were Jeremy and Magen Allen, of Bismarck, winners of Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2011 Young Farmers & RanchersAchievement Award, and Brad and Lori Henley, of Star City, winners of the Excellence in Agriculture award.

All winners earned expense-paid trips to the American Farm Bureau Federation national conference in Hawaii next month, where they will compete for national awards.

News, Pages 2 on 12/21/2011