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Jason Feldner of Caldwell was named the winner of this year's Discussion Meet after he competed against three others on the topic "Where will tomorrow's agricultural work force come from?"

The four competed during OFBF's annual meeting held Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 in Columbus. Feldner, who also was a finalist last year, competed against Rose Dudgeon of Frazeysburg, Doug Hafer of LaRue and Shannon Yochum of Leesburg. Discussion Meet is a contest that tests participants’ subject knowledge, problem solving abilities and personal and small group communications skills.

Feldner receives an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn. in January to represent Ohio in the national contest. He also received $1,000 from Nationwide Insurance, $500 from Dodge Trucks and a commemorative chime clock from OFBF.

During the hour-long competition, the four talked in depth about some of the challenges facing the agriculture industry, including problems with the H-2A program, which allows people to enter the United States as temporary, non-immigrant workers, and the adverse effect wage rate, which is the minimum wage rate for H-2A workers set by the Department of Labor.

"We'd be foolish to think we could survive without migrant labor," Feldner said, noting that many Americans don't want to do agricultural jobs. "Migrant workers are there for one reason – to work."

He said it's a constant challenge for the ag industry to get reliable labor and still make a profit. And he said the industry needs to find ways to develop a more skilled labor force to keep up with technology.

"Improving the migrant labor won't solve all the problems. We need to encourage our generation to come back to the farm," he said.

Feldner farms with his grandfather and aunt, milking Jersey dairy cattle and producing forage. He is a teacher at the local career center and has a bachelor's degree in education from Muskingum College and master's degree from Marygrove College. The six-year member of the Noble County Farm Bureau is president of the county Farm Bureau. He also has been active with the Ohio State University Extension advisory committee and his church. He and his wife, Jeannette, have two children.

Caption: Discussion Meet winner Jason Feldner, center, stands with OFBF President Bob Peterson, left, and OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher.