Four finalists named for Ohio Farm Bureau Discussion MeetPublished on 11/21/2007Photo Caption: (Pictured from left to right) Wendy Chrisman, Harrison county; Rose Dudgeon, Knox county; Jodie Anderson, Guernsey county and Jenifer Weaver, Mahoning county. For Immediate Release COLUMBUS, Ohio (OFBF) – Four state finalists have been named in Ohio Farm Bureau Federation’s (OFBF) 2007 Discussion Meet. They are Jodie Anderson of Quaker City, Wendy Chrisman of Jewett, Rose Dudgeon of Frazeysburg and Jenifer Weaver of North Jackson. The annual contest tests participants’ subject knowledge, problem solving abilities and personal and small group communications skills. The finalists will participate in the finals of the competition during OFBF's annual meeting held Nov. 28 to 30 in Columbus, discussing the topic "In light of recent decisions affecting private property, what steps should be taken to secure the rights of property owners?" Anderson is a three-year member of the Guernsey County Farm Bureau, of which she currently serves on the membership committee. She and her parents operate a beef cattle farm. Anderson is a 2004 graduate of Buckeye Trail High School and is a senior at Ohio State University majoring in early childhood education. She has ambitions to start a Farm Bureau Youth Group in Guernsey County and Young Farmer groups in surrounding counties. Chrisman and her husband, Damian, sell custom processed beef and lamb from their farm, where they harvest hay, soybeans, wheat and corn in addition to raising ewes, cows and heifers. The former agricultural education instructor and FFA adviser currently serves as a Farm Bureau advisory council chairperson and is a computer teacher at Indian Valley High School. The Chrismans have two children, Corey and Alexandra. A three-year member of Knox County Farm Bureau, Dudgeon operates a crossbred sheep farm with her mother, Margaret. She served as the 2004-2005 Ohio FFA President and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Ohio State University. Dudgeon was a Discussion Meet finalist in 2005 and has been a Farm Bureau youth adviser, participated in the Key Farmer Trip to Washington, D.C. and was awarded the 2006 Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Darwin Bryan Scholarship. Weaver is an 11-year member of Mahoning County Farm Bureau, of which she is a Communications Action Team leader, sits on the county board and serves on the state Young Farmer Committee. Weaver runs a grain and beef farm with her father and step mother in addition to managing five grain elevators in northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Weaver also works as a grain merchandiser for a local agribusiness serving the Mahoning County area. The winner will of the contest will receive an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in New Orleans in January to represent Ohio in the national contest. The winner will also receive $1,000 cash courtesy of Nationwide, $500 cash courtesy of Dodge and a chime clock from Ohio Farm Bureau.
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