JARREN MCBRIDE DOESN’T come from an agricultural background. But as a Texico High School junior, he picked FFA as an elective—and it made all the difference.
Last year, McBride claimed the Agricultural Public Speaking competition crown with a talk about the need for cybersecurity on farms and ranches. “Agriculture is often perceived as not as technologically advanced as it actually is,” he says. “It’s important that people understand how easily it can be hacked.”
Frannie Miller, an assistant professor in New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, established the competition six years ago to increase opportunities for FFA and 4-H members to compete regionally before entering national competitions. The New Mexico contest awards more than $100,000 in scholarships annually to students who deliver speeches ranging from three to eight minutes, followed by three minutes of questions, in one of three divisions starting in the
third grade.
“Kids can start public speaking before they even know there’s any reason to be afraid of it,” Miller says. “By the time they get to high school, they’re confidently tackling important subjects like farm technology, labor reform, and even the mental health of agricultural workers.”
McBride, who now serves as an FFA state officer, started in the competition with a speech about the FFA creed as an eighth grader. “Doing research for that made me understand how important agriculture is and how it’s grown a lot from ‘cows and ploughs,’ ” he says. “It’s become such a multifaceted industry. There’s a place for everyone.”
After the fair, McBride presented his speech at the annual New Mexico Cattle Growers Association Joint Stockmen’s Convention. “He spoke to more than 100 adults and was completely at ease,” Miller says. “The ag industry has been amazing about letting these kids step forward and do some grownup things.”
➤ Public speakers aren't the only ones competing. Student chefs also bring the heat.
Catch the Public Speaking Competition beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 6.