The Young Leaders are excited to invite you to Headshot Happy Hour. This event will be held on Friday, June 14th from 3:00 – 6:00PM at Mek’s on Main, 201 N Main St, Monmouth, IL 61462. Madison Anne Photography will be taking professional headshots, appetizers will be available from Mad Bakedd, and the bar will be available. Join us for an evening of networking and bring a friend! The price for Farm Bureau members is $25 and the nonmember price is $45. Discounts will be available to students (school ID required) at $20/$40 and anyone who registers as a Farm Bureau member that night. Dress is business casual/professional. Please RSVP here: form.jotform.com"

The 40-mile tractor cruise will begin in Cameron, IL at 9AM on Saturday, June 1st. Vehicles and trailers can be parked in the empty lot at the stop sign east of the storage units. The cruise will travel through Warren County with a lunch at Monmouth Community Park before heading back to Cameron. The following rules apply:

• Your tractor MUST be able to maintain a minimum speed of 10MPH.
• $35 entry fee includes lunch and donation to Ag in the Classroom.
• Tractor steering and brakes should be in good repair and function correctly.
• This is a rain or shine event.
• SMV SIGN REQUIRED. - Please NO DUALS.
• No trailers or wagons.
• NO fender rides.
• No alcohol allowed.
• Mirrors recommended.
• Maple City Antique Tractor Association recommends that everyone carry liability insurance.
• Driver must be licensed to drive in the state they reside in.
• Buddy seat required for rider.

Illinois Farm Bureau has released the complete three-part docuseries Fields Apart: Rooted Together on YouTube. This series by IFB’s award-winning video team highlights the diversity of agriculture in our state. Whether it’s a specialty crop farmer bringing fresh produce to a neighbor or row crop operation working to feed the world, Fields Apart: Rooted Together lends faces and inspirational stories to food in Illinois. You may have already seen the first episode. Now, the full, three-part docuseries has been released to the public. Your support is crucial to our ability to extend the visibility of these stories. There are messages for everyone in this docuseries. For members, there are subjects they will identify with, but they also may something from a new perspective. For legislators, these are the faces of agriculture. When they consider ag policy, they can see who they’re affecting. For consumers, we’re highlighting the value of agriculture in Illinois. Agriculture in Illinois is diverse, but our values are all the same. View this eye-opening showcase on the beauty of Illinois agriculture at fieldsapartrootedtogether.

Warren Henderson Farm Bureau® has worked with Rockford Map Publishers on new 2021 plat books. The plat books are available for purchase at W-HFB Monmouth and Stronghurst offices. Plat Books are $28.00 (this includes tax) for members and $40.00 (this includes tax) for non-members. Shipping options are available, visit whfarmbureau.org or call W-HFB for information.

For more information on loan/grant programs offered by the USDA, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RD_ProgramMatrix.pdf

The 2024 Spring FS Ag Roundtables were held on Tuesday, March 26th, and Wednesday, March 27th
Podcasts of the Roundtables can be found at radiomonmouth.com. Topics discussed included: Farm Net Income Discussion and Planting Expectations; Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Ethanol Opportunities; Carbon Markets and Sequestration Calculations; Global Exports and Agriculture World Outlook; Markets and Exports Impact on Livestock Producers; Legislation Impacting Farmers in 2024 Related to Taxes; Legislative Update for Illinois Farm Families and West Central Illinois Residents; and Immigration Impact on Agriculture’s Future.

Applications are now available for nurse practitioner scholarships through the Illinois Farm Bureau® Rural Nurse Practitioner Scholarship Program. There will be 15 scholarships, worth $4,000 each, granted this year. Click here to read more.

The below is from the January 31, 2024, ‘Legislation introduced to change Illinois estate tax’ FarmWeekNow article.

New bipartisan measures aimed at ensuring the preservation of family farms in the event of a family member’s death were announced Wednesday after years of attempting to reform the Illinois Estate and Generation Transfer Tax Act.

Supported by Illinois Farm Bureau, Senate Bill 2921, introduced by State Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, and House Bill 4600, introduced by State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, are identical bills that if passed would change the state’s estate tax, specific to farms. Click here to read more.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture and the U of I Extension are teaming up to offer pesticide training and/or testing (PSEP)

To view a full list of testing and/or training dates and to register, visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/psep/. Contact U of I Extension at 309-734-5161 or 309-309-924-1163 with questions.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture and University of Illinois Extension have announced options for Certified Livestock Manager Training needed to meet the requirements of the state’s Livestock Management Facilities Act. A workshop will be held at the W-HFB Auditorium in Monmouth on January 31st.

Click here to read more.

The Western Illinois Beekeepers Association cordially invites you to attend their monthly meetings. They are held the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm at the Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau building., 1000 N. Main St., Monmouth, Illinois. Meetings are free and open to the public.

UPCOMING EVENT:
All events are free and open to the public. Contact Jan Arteaga at 309-313-3648 or arteaga618@gmail.com with questions or to register for an event.

The below is from the October 4, 2023 ‘The policy push behind sustainable aviation fuel’ FarmWeekNow article.
By Timothy Eggert, Agriculture Policy Editor for FarmWeek

“The reality is we’re not going to have battery power for long-distance travel. Our military (planes) can’t be powered by them, or ships,” Vilsack explains. “So there’s a need for a low-carbon aviation and marine fuel; it happens to be a 36-billion-gallon potential industry.”

Attention and advocacy around sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), what Vilsack frames as “the next generation” of liquid biofuels, has accelerated since 2016, with policymakers and industry stakeholders presenting it as a critical pathway to both decarbonize the aviation industry and maintain market demand for U.S.-grown grain.

Their push stems from pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tied to aviation. Non-military aviation accounts for 11% of all U.S. transportation-related emissions — and is backed by billions of dollars in federal investments, federal and state tax credits and explicit production goals.

It also responds to sluggish domestic production and consumption, as a mere 33.3 million gallons of SAF were consumed in the U.S. from 2016 and 2022, with the latter year accounting for 15.8 million gallons alone.

This Oct. 4 story represented the first of a three-part FarmWeek series exploring sustainable aviation fuel, titled "Farm, fuel, flight: How the aviation industry is betting on flyover country for decarbonization." To read the full article and parts two and three, click below.

• SAF Article 1
• SAF Article 2
• SAF Article 3

Stay updated on Agriculture and Illinois Farm Bureau News by visiting farmweeknow.com. RFD Radio Network™ is the most listened to source for Illinois farm and rural information. Listen to RFD Radio Network by tuning in to RFD affiliate Prairie Communications at 1330AM and 95.7FM.
Also available is a FarmWeekNow Daily Update e-newsletter. Rise and Shine with the e-newsletter, delivered to your inbox at dawn every weekday morning! Sign up by clicking here.
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Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau and the W-H Ag Education Partnership - Ag in the Classroom Program, led by Ag Coordinator Anna Sharp, have stayed busy to begin the school year. Recent events have included 4th Grade Ag Day for Kids at Fairview Center United Methodist Church, 5th Grade Farm Safety Day at the Henderson County Fairgrounds, and several classroom visits. Click the Education tab to learn more about the W-H Ag in the Classroom Program and to see more pictures.

Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau had two visits over the past month with their Adopt-A-Legislator®, Representative Jenn Ladisch Douglass of the 45th District. Illinois Farm Bureau developed its Adopt-A-Legislator® program in 2001 with the purpose of building long-term personal relationships between urban state legislators and farmers from across the state.

Click here to learn more about the visits and Rep. Ladisch Douglass.

On Saturday, June 3rd, the Maple City Antique Tractor Club hosted a Tractor Drive fundraiser for the Warren-Henderson Ag Ed Partnership’s Ag in the Classroom and W-HFB Foundation’s Scholarship Programs. The club started their 50-mile trek in Abingdon and traveled through Knox and Fulton counties, stopping at the London Mills Community Park along the Spoon River for a catered lunch. To see more photos from the Tractor Drive, visit the Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau Facebook page. We thank all participants for their willingness to take part in this event and support education programs!

Click here for a photo album of the Tractor Drive.

Area educators note: On Tuesday, June 11th (Galesburg) and Wednesday, June 12th (Kewanee), “Ag in a Day” teacher workshops will be held, hosted by Bureau, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren-Henderson county farm bureaus. These workshops are intended to help teachers learn about ag topics and local agricultural products in surrounding counties. Hands-on activities, tours, and free educational resources will all be part of the two workshops. Professional development credits will be available to attendees.

The workshops are $10/teacher per day, teachers are invited to attend one or both days; workshops are open to all teachers & educators. The deadline to register is May 31st, a minimum number of attendees will be required each day. Registration and agenda/tour information can be found at aginaday.weebly.com

Dr. Steve Johnson will be at the Knox Agri Center on Tuesday, June 11 at 7PM to present a marketing seminar titled “What’s in Your Crop Marketing Plan?”. Topics will include Supply/Demand & Crop Price Outlook, Understanding Summer Weather Forecasts, Review Crop Insurance Coverage, Pre-Harvest Marketing Strategies & Tools, Global Geo-Political Issues, and Developing & Implementing Your ’24 and ’25 Crop Marketing Plans.

To reserve your seat, please call the Knox County Farm Bureau at 309-342-2036 or visit knoxcfb.org I have attached Dr. Johnson's headshot that can go with this.

“Ag in a Day” teacher workshops were hosted by Bureau, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Stark, and Warren-Henderson county farm bureaus on June 7-8th. Twenty-one teachers attended the ‘tour day’ on June 7th. Stops for the day included... click here to read more.

McDonough Telephone Cooperative (MTC) has been investing in our communities since 1951. From the initial cooperative members coming together in 1951 to provide phone service to the area, all the way to today, MTC has always focused on providing reliable service to its members.
Now, we’re devoted to building a reliable, all-fiber optic gigabit networks in the Midwest Illinois so our region has the best possible broadband available.

Maps of the build and MTC’s current Fiber areas are available online at: mtcfiber.net.

Residents are encouraged to visit mtcfiber.net. to register their interest in MTC’s Gig-capable fiber optic internet. MTC will email updates out to everyone registered through mtcfiber.net. and email an official service application when MTC is ready to construct fiber drops in their area. For more information, follow MTC’s Facebook page at facebook.com/followmdtc.

Click here for a full write-up.

Be sure to check out Illinois Farm Families’ recently launched “We are the 96” campaign by visiting Wearethe96.org. The campaign features more than 25 farm families across the state with the goal to make Illinois residents aware that 96% of farms in the state are family-owned and operated.

Illinois Farm Bureau is proud to highlight the work our members are doing to improve soil health and water quality through a documentary titled “Sustaining Our Future: A Farm Family Story,” which debuted Dec. 3 at the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting.

Illinois farmers have a proven track record when it comes to caring for our natural resources. Whether implementing new solutions to utilize fertilizer efficiently, install conservation practices, or engage in meaningful discussions with university researchers and industry partners, farmer efforts continue to drive innovative solutions that improve their farms while protecting the environment.

Illinois Farm Bureau members can help amplify the story by viewing and sharing the video from the IFB YouTube channel here: youtube.com/ILFarmBureauIFB.