A webinar titled Grain Storage & Corn Quality Issues will be presented on Thursday evening, September 17th at 7 pm CDT. The featured speaker will be Steve Johnson, ISU Extension farm management specialist with guest, Dr. Charles Hurburgh, Professor in Charge, Iowa Grain Quality Initiative. The focus will be a brief overview of the September 11th USDA Crop Production and WASDE Reports followed by discussion on grain storage and corn quality issues this fall. The webinar will last one-hour and be followed by questions.

To register, click here.

Come September 15 - 17, Farm Progress Virtual Experience brings together the best of Farm Progress Show and Husker Harvest Days into one powerhouse virtual experience. This virtual experience promises to be worthy of the Farm Progress name.

Action-packed live field demos will be accessible through any mobile-friendly device. Farm Progress Virtual Experience takes farmers inside the action with go-pro and drone footage to explore every facet of the latest equipment from top ag manufacturers. Everything featured during field demonstrations has been collected and curated in the field; this is not stock footage. FPVX is proud to offer farmers what they value most about in-person field demonstrations plus a rewind button. These field demonstrations along with many exciting show features will be available for registered attendees to view during the event and through Spring 2021.

Other show highlights include:

• 400 acres of corn to harvest
• Hay to cut, rake and bale
• Working cattle demonstrations
• Practical education sessions
• Live insights from farmers
• Unique product features from exhibitors

Learn more about Farm Progress Virtual Experience and find registration information here: www.farmprogressshow.com

In the November election, there will be one question on the ballot regarding changing the state constitution to allow a progressive tax rate. Illinois Farm Bureau opposes this change. For more information, visit ilfb.org.

IFB POLICY SUPPORTS: A moderate flat tax state income tax
IFB POLICY OPPOSES: The creation of progressive income tax rate structure.

"Our policy has been vetted by you, the members as a fair way to tax the citizens of Illinois...Don’t let the state try and fix a financial mess by creating yet another financial burden on the citizens of Illinois"
-Brian Duncan, IFB Vice President, Resolutions Committee Chairman

FarmWeek article by Dennis Green, Illinois Farm Bureau Board District 13 Director

Patrick Peoria County Progressive Tax Article

Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau has ‘Vote No on the Progressive Tax’ yard signs available for members in our offices. Contact W-HFB at 309-734-9401 or whfb@whfarmbureau.org for more information.

For the past 40 years, Farm Bureau has asked every presidential candidate to provide responses to issues likely to impact and affect farmers and ranchers and rural communities in the next 4 years. Both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have provided their answers. To view Candidate responses on topics such as International Trade, Farm Policy Programs, Sustainability and Climate Change, etc., click here.

PEOSTA, Iowa — The 2018 data for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the agricultural sector is still the most dangerous in America with 574 fatalities, or an equivalent of 23.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. Fall harvest time can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the agriculture industry. For this reason, the third week of September has been recognized as National Farm Safety and Health Week. This annual promotion initiated by the National Safety Council has been proclaimed as such by each sitting U.S. President since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. National Farm Safety and Health Week is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), the agricultural partner of the National Safety Council.

The theme for National Farm Safety and Health Week 2020 is “Every Farmer Counts”. This theme is one that reminds us that it is in everyone’s best interest to prioritize the health and safety of those who work so hard to provide our abundant supply of food, fiber and fuel. Along with the theme for the week, the daily topics of focus are:

• Monday, September 21 - Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety
• Tuesday, September 22 - Overall Farmer Health
• Wednesday, September 23 - Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
• Thursday, September 24 - Emergency Preparedness in Agriculture
• Friday, September 25 - Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture

Free Webinars will be offered the week of September 21 – 25, click here for more information.

To learn more about National Farm Safety and Health Week, click here.

Eligible farmers can enroll (August 1st - November 1st) for a chance to help a local nonprofit organization in your hometown with an America’s Farmers Grow Communities donation, sponsored by Bayer Fund. Since 2010, Bayer has awarded more than $35 million to thousands of organizations. To enroll for your chance to help a local nonprofit, click here.

Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau received an Illinois Farm Bureau Nutrient Stewardship Grant last winter and with it is preforming a Nutrient Stewardship Grant. We hosted a virtual field day that was filmed on Friday, July 17th. A special thanks goes out to our partners and presenters (Illinois Farm Bureau, U of I Extension, U of I College of ACES, West Central FS) for developing and adjusting for this event! For more information on this trial, click here.

Warren-Henderson was one of 8 county farm bureaus to host a field day this summer:

• Warren-Henderson FB on nitrogen strip field trial results
• LaSalle CFB on struvite field application results
• Clinton CFB on nutrient and manure management results
• Shelby CFB on drainage water management results
• St. Clair CFB on FGD gypsum results
• Wayne CFB on the Nutrient Loss Inhibitor Demonstration (NLID) plot results
• Jo Daviess CFB on cover crop results
• McHenry CFB on a woodchip bioreactor

To read more about IFB Nutrient Stewardship Grants and to view the information and videos of each field day event, click here.

The Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau® proudly presented this year’s Ag Service Award to Don McIntyre, retired owner of Monmouth Feed Service.
Born in late January 1940 in rural Little York and one of twelve children, Don’s family moved from rural Monmouth to Roseville in 1948. Don graduated from High School in 1959 and married Janeth Eaton of Berwick in April 1966. Together they have sons Donald C. and James and daughter Amanda. To read more about Don, click here.

Having grown up with livestock (cattle and hogs) outside Little York, transitioning to dairy farming was an easier move for Carrie Pollard than it would be for most people. Carrie, the daughter of Tom and Sue Bertelsen, resides in Rockford, IL with her husband Brent, where they own and operate a 75-cow dairy operation. In addition to dairy, Carrie and Brent also grow cash crops on acres that have been in Brent’s family for multiple generations. The biggest change regarding dairy vs. the livestock she grew up raising? The timing. “I was used to weekend chores, etc., but I’ve found the mornings and timing to be a challenge. I am not a morning person as the Campbell and Leary clan that I grew up showing with will attest to!”

Click here to continue reading about Carrie's donation to her home community.

Illinois Ag in the Classroom is offering online resources and lessons during this COVID-19 time so kids can continue learning from home about agriculture. Every Monday-Friday IAITC will be releasing a short daily video and related activities on a different ag topic. Visit Beyond the Barn Door and Illinois Ag in the Classroom's Facebook page to view these materials and see how you can keep up on a little bit of ag education each day.

The most current version of ‘Motor Vehicle Rules for Illinois Farmers’, a select collection of information on motor vehicle regulations, produced and provided by Illinois Farm Bureau®, are available in Monmouth & Stronghurst offices. Please contact W-HFB if you would like a booklet mailed to you. An online version with detailed breakdowns of the booklet can be seen here. 2018 Warren-Henderson Counties Plat Books are available for purchase at Monmouth and Stronghurst W-HFB locations.

Three Illinois farmers, including Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau President Jared Kunkle, recently discussed their family farms and shared the challenges they face with a live audience on SiriusXM radio with host Michael Smerconish. Click here to read more at FarmWeekNow.com and here to listen to the hour long interview.

Not all wounds are visible and sometimes calling upon the farming community – friends, neighbors, or clergy can make a difference in managing stressful situations and crises. Below are some outside resources available for those in such a situation. More information can be found under the LINKS tab.

Make space for a healthy mind. Have you checked out SilverCloud yet?

SilverCloud is a free, secure, anonymous and interactive platform to help you manage the feelings and causes of depression, anxiety or stress. Offered by OSF HealthCare and available to the public, SilverCloud is an online resource available on your computer, tablet, or phone designed to provide you with easy access to supportive behavioral therapy programs catered to your personal situation. View the links below to learn more.

• Click here to sign-up for SilverCloud
• View Mental Health Resources
• Read their blog

CASA of West Central Illinois hosted its 5th Annual Lip Sync Battle Fundraiser on the evening of September 26th at the Knights of Columbus in Galesburg.  CASA Young Leader Committee Members from Knox and Warren-Henderson County Farm Bureaus performed a 12 song mashup of 80’s songs and were able to gather enough votes ($1 per vote) and donations throughout the night to raise over $700 for the organization – leading them to a 1st place finish. Thanks to all supported this crew and in case you missed the performance, take a look: > CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program is a non-profit organization that was founded locally in 1994. Their missions is to speak up for and support the best interests of abused and neglected children in the court system. CASAs are assigned to every abuse, neglect, and dependency case in Knox, Warren, Henderson, and McDonough Counties of Illinois. To learn more, visit http://www.casaofknoxco.com/

Over the summer months, Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau had the opportunity to host three groups of Brazilian farmers who came to the Midwest to tour agricultural facilities through the travel company AgroBravo.
Click here to read more about the visits.

 

The Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau Women’s/Ag-in-the-Classroom committee and the Prime Beef Festival sponsored their annual Agricultural Education Day for kids on Friday, September 6th at Bayer Research Center outside Monmouth. 4th grade classes from ICS, Monmouth-Roseville, and United school districts attended this annual event.
During this morning program students rotated through nine different stations where they learned about the following agriculture topics: Machinery (taught by Dudley Ricketts); Soils & Fertilizer (Joe Greenstreet & Anna Sharp); Soybeans & Plant Parts (Michael Moore); Corn & Plant Parts (Craig & Chad Long); Beef (Taylor Huston); Swine (Sue Bertelsen); Animal Vet Care (Julie Snodgrass); Sheep (Robin Corzatt); and Dairy Cattle (Gayle Baker).
Thank you to the Bayer Learning Center for allowing this event to be hosted at your facilities!

Stay up-to-date with the markets, weather, and most current ag topics at FarmWeek Now.

Check out Illinois Farm Bureau’s podcasts that give insight on Illinois farm, family, and food related issues! Available at this link include the Partners, RFD Radio, RFD Illinois, and Best of RFD podcasts. Whether you’re interested in the markets and weather, hearing in-depth interviews with top ag decision-makers, listening to a recap of ‘what happened this week in Illinois agriculture’, or learning about some ideas on Illinois places and events to visit, IFB has you covered!"