The American Farm BureauFederation’s 2022 Farm Dog of the Year contest signup is underway. Chad Smith has more on how to apply for the popular competition.

Smith: It’s the fourth year in a row that the Farm Bureau is giving members a chance to show off their farm dogs. Terri Moore is the vice president of communications for the American Farm Bureau. She says the signup process to enter your farm dog into the contest is a simple one.

Moore: It’s a questionnaire, and then we invite you to send in a video of your dog. And it’s an opportunity just to have a little fun with farm dogs and how they help out on the farm. They’ll go through a judging process. We actually have a whole lineup of judges, and they’ll judge the dogs based on helpfulness to the family, playfulness, and obedience.

Smith: Moore talks about why the contest is important to Farm Bureau and the prizes they’re offering this year.

Moore: This contest has become a darling of sorts, both on social media and with folks outside of agriculture in general. Our 2021 Farm Dog of the Year Contest reached more than 700,000 people, and had more than 40,000 engagements, so likes and shares and comments.  The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 in prize money, a year’s worth of Purina dog food, and be recognized at our convention. We’ll also have up to four regional runners-up that will each win $1,000 in prize money.

Smith: She talks about where to go for more information.

Moore: We invite farmers and ranchers to jump on our website at fb.org and just search ‘farm dog,’ and that’ll come up for you and you can apply right there to nominate your dog. Again, it’s a quick questionnaire and we’d encourage you to also submit a video, but that’s optional. And if you’re not yet a Farm Bureau member, this is limited to Farm Bureau members, but it’s very easy to sign up, and you can do that through our website too.

Smith: Chad Smith, Washington.