Leadership Development ACTION TEAM Projects………
2014-2015
Educating restaurant patrons about Illinois agriculture - to educate restaurant
patrons about Illinois agriculture and our efforts to connect with the consumer
throughout Illinois by providing county Farm Bureaus with 3 panel table tents that
can be distributed to various restaurants within their county. Using the theme,
"We Grow Safe and Healthy Food…For Your Family and Ours,” each panel of the
table tent has a different message. One panel has a photo and quote from a "Farm
Mom" (i.e. Katie Pratt type farm mom), the second has the same, but from an
"Illinois Farm Families Field Mom," while the third panel has facts about Illinois
agriculture. Each panel also has the web address to sites like "Watch Us Grow".
The brochures were distributed to each county office. Additional copies were
available on a first come, first served basis.
2013-2014
Ag Career Promotions through CFBs and Bus
Advertising were used in Champaign-Urbana &
Springfield Mass Transit Districts –to educate
various groups with an agricultural career message
through the use of banners for the county Farm
Bureaus as well as signs on mass transit in Springfield
and Champaign/Urbana. Target groups included
state elected officials, government employees,
Springfield residents, University of Illinois students
and employees, as well as the general public
throughout Illinois. Between Springfield and
Champaign/Urbana, just under 1 million people ride
the two metro systems monthly. Using the same
theme, "AGRICULTURE: Explore the Possibilities,”
and signs from the 2013 project, the exterior signs
were displayed by the Champaign/Urbana Mass
Transit District for two months after the first of the
year. The signs were also used in Springfield during
the spring and summer for two months. In addition,
county Farm Bureaus were given their choice of two
different banner formats, horizontal or vertical,
which they could use at various events throughout
their county. The banners displayed the same
message.
2012-2013
Bus Advertising with Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District - to educate the
University of Illinois students and employees with an agricultural type message and
picture by using the Champaign/Urbana Mass Transit System. Approximately 65%
of the 10 million riders are either students or employees at the U of I in
Champaign/Urbana. In the fall of 2012 the exterior signs were developed, printed,
and used by the Champaign/Urbana Mass Transit District. The exterior signs
started after the first of the year and ran for two months. In addition to the
thousands of students and employees at the U of I campus these signs were visible
to the thousands of people who traveled through the Champaign/Urbana area.
The curbside signs were 88 inches wide and 30 inches high.
2011-2012
Farm Facts Posters - to educate the non-farm public with farm facts signs that
could be placed in various businesses or at fairs and festivals. Developed an 11” X
17” poster designed with agricultural pictures and farm facts. Food facts were
included on sheep, orchards, wineries, fruits, vegetables, and grains. These signs
complemented the ones produced by the team last year in dairy, beef, and pork.
These 7 signs could be used in businesses so people could read the quick farm
facts. They were also laminated for use at various festivals and county fairs
around the state.
2010-2011
“Cruise Illinois Agriculture, Route 66” Posters in frames - educated the adult
non-farm public about agriculture, specifically those who traveled Route 66 and/or
visited places with the Route 66 theme. Route 66 theme was continued and the
following three signs: Get Your Chicks on Route 66, Get Your Corndog Sticks on
Route 66, and Get Your Licks on Route 66 printed in 18” x 24” prints in poster
frames were added. These signs were available for county Farm Bureaus to place
in the various Route 66 attractions. The Route 66 signs were designed into ads for
the IFB Partner magazine. People were directed to the signs posted on both the
IFB website and the IFB Partner.
Farm Facts Posters - to educate the adult non-farm public with farm facts signs
that can be placed in various businesses in Illinois. A 12”x 16” poster was designed
with an ag picture and farm facts. Some of these signs were printed and mounted
in frames, then given to businesses so they could be displayed on counter tops or
tables in their waiting area. Their customers were able to read farm facts while
waiting for their appointment. In addition, some of the signs were printed on
Post-it-notes paper that is 12” x 16” so these could be placed on businesses’ walls
without the expense of the frame. The 3M Post-it-note signs were removable and
reusable.
2009-2010
“Illinois Agriculture…So Much More” signs - to educate the adult non-farm public
about agriculture; in this case, people who visited wineries in central and northern
Illinois. This program was a continuation of the previous partnership with the
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Different wineries in different locations in the state
were targeted for this program year. This objective directly impacted IFB’s
organizational priority to “build coalitions and develop persuasive messages to tell
the producer's story.” Collaborating with the grape growers in Illinois allowed us
to tell the farmer’s story to a broader audience. Partnering with wineries in
central and northern Illinois, four outdoor fiberglass signs were strategically placed
with information about specialty crops in Illinois, including grapes. Accompanying
the signs at the wineries were standing plastic name tents with information on one
side customized to that particular winery, and the other side with more general ag
information. Each of the targeted wineries had tasting rooms, and some had
facilities to host weddings and other events, gift shops, and outdoor recreation
areas.
2008-2009
“Cruise Illinois Agriculture, Route 66” Posters - to educated the adult non-farm
public about agriculture; in this case, those who traveled by automobile on
Interstate 55 in Illinois. : A 24” X 36” poster was placed in a glass-enclosed kiosk
at the Route 66/Abe Lincoln rest stop south of Bloomington on I-55. This poster
contained information about Illinois agriculture, specifically what can be seen
along old route 66 (loosely I-55) from Chicago to St. Louis. Photographs and ag
facts were interspersed along a map of the highway. This poster was viewed 24/7
by people traveling both north and south on I-55. It is the only rest stop in Illinois
which can be accessed from either direction. IDOT charged no fee for the kiosk
space and the poster could remain indefinitely based on IDOT’s need for the space.
“Illinois Agriculture…So Much More” Signs - to educate the adult non-farm public
about agriculture; in this case, people who traveled the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
in Southern Illinois. Partnering with the wineries and Rendelman Orchard’s Farm
Market on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, three outdoor fiberglass signs were
strategically placed with information about specialty crops in Illinois, particularly
southern Illinois. Two of the signs featured information about grapes and other
specialty crops and one featured more general information about other specialty
crops, including apples and peaches. Accompanying the signs at the wineries were
standing name tents of similar educational information.
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2007-2008
Sign at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington - To educate the
adult non-farm public about agriculture; in this case, those who travel through the
Central Illinois Regional Airport. The EDUCATION Action Team continued with the
62” wide by 43” high backlit sign in the baggage claims area at the Central Illinois
Regional Airport in Bloomington where it could be viewed 24 hours a day, seven
days a week.
2006-2007
Agriculture Message at Airport - to educate the adult non-farm public; in this
case, those who travel through the Central Illinois Regional Airport. Sign space
was rented for 52 weeks at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington.
Since there are nearly 900,000 people who use this airport annually, the
EDUCATION Action Team took advantage of this captive audience and rented one
of the signs in the baggage claim area.
2005-2006
Ag Ed on the Silver Screen - was shown for 12 weeks at two Loews Theaters
(Streets of Woodfield in Schaumburg and Country Club Hills) on a total of 36
screens. Seating capacity for these two theaters is nearly 8,500 people. The
EDUCATION ACTION TEAM wanted to take advantage of the peak winter holiday
movie season to reach the most viewers, therefore, the message from mid-October
to mid-January.
The message “Illinois farmers grow safe and healthy food...for their families
and YOURS!” was run on the 36 screens prior to each movie at least three times.