Each year, the Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s Women’s Leadership Program sponsors a statewide Youth Speech Contest. The contest has three levels of competition: the County Competition, held during the week of the Southeastern Youth Fair in Ocala, Florida in Feburary; the District Competition, held at the Farm Bureau State Office in Gainesville, Florida in August; and the State Competition held during the Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting in TBD, Florida in October. The winner of the County contest competes in their District contest and the District winner then competes in the State competition against the other seven District winners. The purpose of this contest is to promote a stronger interest and clearer understanding of the many aspects of agriculture; to provide opportunities for our youth to gain knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of agriculture; and help to promote agriculture’s many values and virtues.