Kalena Bruce's role as the 2017 American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers chair is twofold.

First, she is the face of the organization, representing 2.5 million young farmers and ranchers. "It is a big part of the Farm Bureau organization," she says.

She will travel to state YF&R conferences all across the country. Already, she has traveled to North Dakota and Kansas Farm Bureau meetings. There, she helped facilitate learning sessions for young farmers to help them improve their leadership skills. "I want them to be able to take what they learn and apply it in their communities."

Bruce will also travel internationally and meet with young farmer groups from other countries. She is looking forward to the personal connections she will have with farmers all around the globe. "It will be interesting to have individuals I can call from any state or country and ask how a certain proposed law, regulation or trade agreement will impact their operation," she adds.

Her second role as AFB YF&R chair is holding a seat on the American Farm Bureau Foundation board of directors. "When the farm bill comes up in 2018, I get to be at the table while we put all of those policies together to decide what it will look like," she says. "Sitting in the same room as the AFBF board of directors, with state presidents from all across the nation that are the top of their organization, that come from hard-working farms, it will be a really humbling experience to be a part of that."

Bruce took over the helm of the AFBF YF&R during its conference this month in Pennsylvania.