Buss Tops Collegiate Discussion Meet

Emma Buss was selected the winner of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Collegiate Discussion Meet contest at the organization’s 102nd Annual Meeting in Wisconsin Dells on December 5.

Buss is a senior at UW-Platteville where she is majoring in agricultural business and dairy science. She grew up in Platteville on her family’s registered Holstein farm. In addition to Collegiate Farm Bureau, Buss is an active member of the Pioneer Dairy Club where she serves on the sale committee and CERES Women’s Agricultural Fraternity.

Off campus, she works on her family’s farm assisting with day-to-day chores and field work. Buss plans to continue to work on the farm after graduation and find ways to still be involved in agriculture advocacy along with continuing to network with farmers.

The Collegiate Discussion Meet is a panel discussion in which collegiate members are judged on their ability to lead a committee discussion on current issues affecting agriculture and to develop consensus on an action plan to effectively address issues.

By participating, members build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems.

Buss receives a $1,500 scholarship courtesy of GROWMARK, Inc., and will represent Wisconsin in the national Collegiate Discussion Meet held in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in February.

Other finalists included Josh Gerbitz and Olivia Spaight from UW-Madison; Ryan Erickson from UW-Platteville; and Serenity Hetke and Emma Statz from UW-River Falls.