October 2025
Nadia Rivera of Lake County won first place in the Florida Farm Bureau Youth Speech Contest at Florida Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting on Oct. 28. An active member of Lake County 4-H for three years, Rivera impressed judges with a compelling five-minute speech addressing the topic: “What obstacles threaten Florida agriculture’s economic viability, and how do we address them?”
The contest, sponsored by the Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, features contestants between the ages of 14 -18, each representing one of Florida Farm Bureau’s nine field districts. Participants were given five minutes to deliver their speech.
“Winning the Florida Farm Bureau State Youth Contest was an unforgettable moment,” Rivera said. “It showed me that hard work and passion really does pay off.”
Rivera was presented with a $1000 check and award plaque. The second-place winner, Joseph Smith IV of Manatee County, received $500 and a plaque.
The Youth Speech Contest aims to deepen a student’s understanding of agriculture, foster appreciation for its impact, and inspire the next generation to champion its values and future.
Florida Farm Bureau congratulates all of the Youth Speech finalists for their participation:
- District 1 – Skye Coan, Bay County
- District 2 – Joseph Smith IV, Jackson County
- District 3 – A’niyah Ray, Madison County
- District 4 – Mia Portillo, Volusia County
- District 5 – Eden Daniels, Clay County
- District 6 – Nadia Rivera, Lake County
- District 7 – Jalysa Iverson, Orange County
- District 8 – Emma Syfert, Manatee County
- District 9 – Musiq Williams, Western Palm Beach County