Nate Zimdars and Ethan Jackowski each earned top spot in their respective discussion meets at the 2023 Wisconsin Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Agriculturalist Convention.
Zimdars of Dane County won the YFA Discussion Meet. In the YFA Discussion Meet, Farm Bureau members between the ages of 18 and 35 are judged on their ability to express their ideas and opinions. They reach a solution on current issues affecting agriculture.
Zimdars was most recently a farm broadcaster with the Mid-West Farm Report. As of Dec. 4, he will be a machine operator with Emmi Roth Cheese in Stoughton.
Zimdars will represent Wisconsin during the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in January.
Other finalists: Issac Christenson of Polk-Burnett Counties, Paul Lippert of Wood County and Brooke Trustem of Rock County.
Jackowski of UW-Madison won the Collegiate Discussion Meet. Jackowski is a sophomore at UW-Madison pursuing a degree in biochemistry and a public policy certificate. He currently serves as the vice president of Collegiate Farm Bureau at UW-Madison.
In the Collegiate Discussion Meet, collegiate members are judged on their ability to lead a committee discussion on current issues affecting agriculture. They develop consensus on an action plan to effectively address issues.
Jackowski will represent Wisconsin in the national Collegiate Discussion Meet. This is held in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers conference in Omaha, Nebraska.
Other finalists: Amanda Bender, UW-Madison; Brooke Casey and Katie Zimmer, UW-River Falls; and Isaac Ward and Katelyn Meinholz, UW-Platteville.
