What the YF&R Summer Conference Is
The Tennessee Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers (TNYFR) Summer Conference is a two-day weekend of general sessions, farm profitability training, contests, awards and family activities for young farmers and ranchers. It is held at the Farm Bureau Expo Center in Lebanon. The most recent conference ran July 17-18, 2026, and the next is scheduled for July 16-17, 2027.
Registration is handled through your local county Farm Bureau. The conference is also the home of the Collegiate Discussion Meet and the awards dinner where the state Young Farmer Achievement Award and the memorial scholarships are presented.
How It Works: The 2026 Timeline
Friday, July 17
- 12:00-6:00 PM: registration.
- 12:15 PM: Collegiate Discussion Meet orientation.
- 12:30 PM: farm tour of Anderson Meat Processing in Hartsville, with carpool leaving the Expo Center.
- 4:00 PM: "Maximizing Farm Profits" session with Colton McClanahan (FMCA), Dr. Charley Martinez (UTIA), Alice Rhea (FB Tax) and Willis Jepson, the 2026 Tennessee Farmer of the Year. Collegiate Discussion Meet Round 1 also started at 4:00 PM.
- 5:00 PM: county chairs meeting; Collegiate Discussion Meet Round 2 followed.
- 6:00 PM: first general session with dinner, the Environmental Stewardship Award, County Achievement Awards, announcement of the Achievement Award district finalists and the Collegiate Discussion Meet Final Four.
- Evening: line dancing, ice cream and cornhole.
Saturday, July 18
- 7:00 AM: Fairgrounds Fun Run, with showers and locker rooms available.
- 8:15 AM: second general session, with a devotion, "Founding Farmers, Freedoms and Flintlocks" featuring General George Washington, and a group photo.
- 10:00 AM: Collegiate Discussion Meet Final Four; breakout session "Am I Exposed? Mitigating Risks" with Lee Wright.
- 11:00 AM: district huddles for Districts 1 through 5.
- 11:30 AM: third general session, "Make Your Own Meaning" with Reagan Pugh.
- 12:30 PM: lunch, followed by district competition, games and the kids' pedal tractor pull.
- 5:30 PM: awards dinner in professional attire, followed by Ice Cream and Friends.
Contests, Awards and Scholarships
- Collegiate Discussion Meet: a contest that simulates a committee meeting, open to undergraduate agriculture students and undergraduates involved in agriculture. A Tennessee Farm Bureau membership is required, and applicants must also register for the conference through their county Farm Bureau office.
- Young Farmer Achievement Award: the state winner receives a Case IH tractor and the second-place winner a Kubota tractor, presented at the Saturday awards dinner. Applications are due May 1 (the new date for 2027).
- County Achievement Awards: presented Friday evening, with district finalists announced.
- Memorial scholarships: the John Willis and Abe Hatcher Memorial Scholarships are presented at the awards dinner. Applications are due online June 1.
What to Wear and Family Details
Friday is business casual. Saturday is sportswear, unless you are a finalist competing, and Saturday's awards dinner is professional attire. Child care runs in South Hall A on Friday from 4:00 PM until the ice cream social, on Saturday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, and again from 5:15 PM until the ice cream social. A mother's room is at the Show Manager Office.
Where
Farm Bureau Expo Center, Lebanon, Tennessee. Sessions were held in the West Hall, South Hall and East Hall.
Questions
When is the next conference?
July 16-17, 2027, at the Farm Bureau Expo in Lebanon.
How do I register?
Contact your local county Farm Bureau.
Are children welcome?
Yes. Child care is provided in South Hall A, and the Saturday schedule includes a kids' pedal tractor pull.
Who do I call?
Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, 931-388-7872, or your county Farm Bureau office.
Official Links
- 2026 TNYFR Summer Conference program: schedule, awards and upcoming dates
- YF&R events: 2027 conference dates and registration
- Discussion Meet: Collegiate Discussion Meet eligibility
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Boys From the South Sale
Lebanon hosts the Boys From the South Sale on November 28, 2026, one of the sales on the Tennessee Cattlemen's calendar.
Lebanon, TN Official event details - Wilson County 4-H Beef Show
County 4-H beef show for Wilson County youth, held June 8 in the 2026 show season and a step toward the Central Region beef show.
Lebanon, TN | Organizer: UT Extension Wilson County 4-H Official event details - Tennessee State 4-H Beef Expo
Statewide junior beef cattle show and contests for Tennessee 4-H members in Lebanon, July 9 to 11, 2026.
- Wilson County 4-H Sheep and Goat Show
County sheep and goat show on July 13, 2026, where Wilson County 4-H members show market animals before regional and state competition.
Lebanon, TN | Organizer: UT Extension Wilson County 4-H Official event details - Central Region 4-H Beef Show
Regional qualifying beef show for Middle Tennessee 4-H members, held July 8 and 9, 2026, in Lebanon just ahead of the state beef expo.
Lebanon, TN | Organizer: UT Extension 4-H Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.