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. A plat book can be found by clicking here.
Do you know somebody who isn’t a Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau® member that should be one? If you refer and get someone signed up, you will receive a free 2021 plat book & a $25 gift card to The Belted Cow Orchard! Contact W-HFB at 309-734-9401 or whfb@whfarmbureau.org with questions.

The Farm Futures Ag Finance Boot Camp and Business Summit will be held January 19-21, 2021, in Iowa City, Iowa! Featuring industry experts and in-depth training sessions, it’s an opportunity to help local farmers and ranchers prepare for their futures.
It’s no secret that the key to success in any business is life-long learning, and that’s why the Summit is committed to providing education and knowledge to top farm operations. Together we’ll join farmers from across the nation to speak through this year’s challenges and tomorrow’s future.
Why you should attend:

• Improve farm operations with information-packed sessions. These sessions include topics of farm succession, farm policy, grain markets and more.
• Learn from high profile farm business management and economic speakers. Our dynamic lineup of speakers includes: Dr. David Kohl, Ed Usset, Jacqui Fatka, Dr. Bobby Martens and so many more!
• Network with farmers from across the country.

The objective of the Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau® Foundation scholarship program is to provide financial assistance through scholarships to our members or their dependents who are entering or attending college and majoring in Agriculture or Agribusiness. Applications are now open for the 2022-2023 school year and can be found by clicking here. Applications are due by February 28, 2022.

The Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau oversees the Evelyn Titus Memorial Scholarship. Evelyn K. Titus, a long-time resident of Warren County, passed away in 1992 and directed that proceeds from her estate establish a scholarship for a male and female Warren County resident continuing education in agriculture or family & consumer sciences. Titus applications are now open for the 2022-2023 school year and can be found by clicking here. Applications are due by February 28, 2022.

The IAA (Illinois Agricultural Association) Foundation endeavors to enhance the future of agriculture by providing college scholarships to Illinois Farm Families, Illinois Farm Bureau members, spouses, or their children who major in agriculture, agribusiness, or an ag-related course of study. Visit www.iaafoundation.org for full details and a link to the online application. Applications for IAA Foundation Scholarships are due by February 15, 2022.

COUNTRY Financial and IFB are again teaming up for ten regional meetings across Illinois in January-February to share updates on improved opportunities for farmers to protect their farms and crops in 2022. Eight meetings will be held in-person across the state, and there will be two virtual presentations. All meetings will include:

• Crop Insurance Update, including changes to federal crop insurance and new private products offered by COUNTRY, the #1 crop hail insurer in Illinois. (Doug Yoder, Crop Agency Manager for COUNTRY Financial)
• Crop Claims Update (COUNTRY Financial Crop Claims Representative)
• Market Outlook (Tim Tresslar, Grain Origination Manager for Growmark)
• Legislative Update (Illinois Farm Bureau)
• Opportunity for Audience Q&A with presenters

Illinois growers and grower farm operators who transport or apply anhydrous ammonia, or otherwise maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment, are now required by state regulation (8 IAC 215) to complete certified grower training. Illinois Farm Bureau was heavily involved in discussions leading up to this regulatory change and throughout the rulemaking process. Who needs to be certified (by April 1, 2022)?
GROWER: Any individual who produces an agricultural commodity on property he or she owns or controls
GROWER FARM OPERATOR: An individual employed by or otherwise authorized by a grower to transport or apply anhydrous ammonia, or to otherwise maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment. These individuals include grower family members, full-time and part-time hired help, and others providing anhydrous ammonia services at no fee.
Growers and grower farm operators have until April 1, 2022 to be initially certified and must participate in refresher training every three years. As a reminder, Anhydrous Ammonia Certified Grower Training can be fulfilled online or at an in-person training.
Click here to register for online training
Contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture at 217-782-3817 with questions for online training.
Click here to register & view in-person training dates
Contact Jenny Eisenbeis (Illinois Farm Bureau) at 309-557-3207 with questions about in-person training.

The University of Illinois' Pesticide Safety Education Program is offering in-person and online (PSEP) Pesticide Application/Operator test events. Pre-registration is required for all exam sessions. In-person testing will have limited capacity numbers. For more information please click on the links below:
Training and Testing: Pesticide Safety Education Program: University of Illinois Extension
Sign-up link for February 22nd, 9:00 test only event @ the W-HFB auditorium

CHICAGO – Delegates and members attending the 107th Illinois Farm Bureau® (IFB) Annual Meeting witnessed the power of ‘tradition and transition’ as the organization’s traditional grassroots process carried on seamlessly amidst a transition to a hybrid format for its 2021 annual meeting. To read a recap article about the delegate session, the Schleich family receiving the Excellence in Ag Award, and about other W-HFB Young Leader committee member recognitions, click here.

Steven D. Johnson, Ph.D. served as the Farm & Ag Business Management Specialist in Central Iowa for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach for 21 years, retiring in early 2021. He specializes in topics related to government farm programs, crop insurance, crop marketing, grain contracts, farmland leasing and other crop risk management strategies.

On November 16th, Steve presented "Managing Crop Price & Input Cost Volatility" Topics included: Crop Supply/Demand & Price Outlook, Estimating '22 Crop Costs, and Strategies for Managing Profit Margin Risks.

Members who were unable to attend and would like the presentation slides sent to them: contact W-HFB at 309-734-9401 or whfb@whfarmbureau.org.

Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau is offering funding for agriculture-related training opportunities for fire districts in Warren & Henderson counties. W-HFB will fund an ag-related training session for 1-2 people in a district department per calendar year. The expense covered will only be for the training portion of the event (no travel, per diem, meal costs, etc.). If the application is accepted, the fire district will need to submit training documentation/invoice to W-HFB to receive funding.
Click here for an online application
Click here to fill out a fillable PDF application

The Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau Women’s Committee packed 100 lunches for farmers on October 20th. The lunches, consisting of chips, granola bars, raisins, mints, cookies, and a sandwich or beef sticks and cheese, were packed and delivered to area elevators. Lunches were taken to Big River Resources, Berwick Grain, Cameron Grain, Consolidated Grain and Barge of Gladstone, Farmers Grain of Roseville, and Stronghurst Grain. Many thanks to Sue Campbell, Jill Cook, Janelle Duckwiler, Anna & Sophia Sharp, and Lori Schrock for their efforts to feed hungry workers!

In mid-September, Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau® hosted its Progressive Agriculture Farm Safety Day for area 5th grade students. The purpose of holding this annual all-day event is to teach students safety tips regarding various topics that do and could potentially pertain to them.
Click here to read about the event.

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 10th at Fairview Center United Methodist Church outside of Monmouth. Approximately 90 fourth grade students from ICS and United school districts attended this annual event. During this morning program students rotated through seven different stations where they learned about the various agriculture topics: Machinery; Soils & Fertilizer; Soybeans; Corn; Beef; Pork; and Sheep. Click here to read more about the event.

Farmers in western Illinois have soils well suited for corn and soybean production. And based on information shared during the Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau Nutrient Stewardship Field Day, Aug. 26, farmers also have new local research results to make the most of that resource. Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) partnered with Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau and University of Illinois Extension during the 2019, 2020 and 2021 growing seasons to evaluate nitrogen use in strip-till corn in a field near Kirkwood. Click here to read more about the event.

Click here to view information on all IFB Nutrient Stewardship Grant Projects.