<p> EXTEMPORANEOUS PUBLIC SPEAKING TOPICS</p><p>List of the possible topics for 2012 regional and state contests:</p><p>1. What steps can the agricultural industry (i.e. producers, agribusinesses, markets, etc.) take to insure the food supply remains safe? How can farmers communicate the safety of our food supply to consumers?</p><p>2. Discuss the possible implications of animal rights/animal welfare campaigns on livestock producers in Kentucky. </p><p>3. Discuss the possible implications (positive and negative) of the sustainable agriculture/locally grown foods movement on American agriculture. </p><p>4. Debate the pros and cons of the use of ethanol and biodiesel to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. What are the strengths and weaknesses of these fuels? What effect would their use have on the agriculture economy? What barriers prevent their widespread adoption? </p><p>5. What are the implications of proposed changes to the Farm Bill, including restructuring or elimination of farm subsidies? </p><p>6. How can value added agriculture and agri-tourism be driving forces in local economic development? </p><p>7. How might consumer concerns about health, nutrition, and obesity impact American agriculture in the years to come?</p><p>8. Discuss how changes to US immigration laws could impact American agriculture in the years to come.</p><p>9. Discuss the tools and resources that are available to help young people start a farming operation or develop an agribusiness. </p><p>10. How can American farmers increase levels of production while remaining good stewards of the land and the environment?</p><p>11. How has new technology (including smart phones, social media, Web 2.0, etc) changed the way American farmers operate? How will this technology impact agriculture in the future?</p><p>12. What steps can and should be taken to cope with the shortage of large animal veterinarians in Kentucky?</p>