MINNESOTA
FFA ASSOCIATION

Overview

Minnesota Farm Bureau hosts a Discussion Meet for FFA members to discuss agriculture and agricultural education issues. A grassroots organization’s strength depends on its members’ ability to analyze problems and decide on solutions that best meet their needs. The Discussion Meet is an activity designed to build these crucial skills. By participating, students build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues, and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach a consensus and solve problems.

 

The Discussion Meet is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each committee member. The contestants discuss a pre-selected topic.

 

The four fundamental bases of general discussion are:

• Constructive Criticism

• Cooperation

• Communication

• Problem Solving

 

The discussion should not be “conversation” or aimless talk, nor should the participant take the role of a persuasive speaker. The participant should try to cooperatively shed light on the problem and tentatively retain a flexible position. A successful participant is a productive thinker rather than an emotional persuader. Sometimes it’s reasonable to change positions whenever new information and ideas are presented. This is not a panel symposium wherein each participant, in turn, makes a presentation, with the moderator ending the session with a summary. Rather, it is an exercise in cooperative problem solving, with the questions, answers, and statements coming from any person at any time.

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