COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION
*Massac, "Agriculture 101-Farming in Your County" - Our local newspaper was contacted about why they didn't feature
information about Agriculture. The reporter was embarrassed to say that she didn't know anything about it. So our CFB decided
to educate our local newspaper staff by working with them once a month to teach them more about agriculture and to use it in
the newspaper as topic material. The first experience included planting soybeans. The reporter had never rode in a tractor
besides that fact that the field was a 3/4 mile length. She was impressed with the GPS technology and even "drove". The article
was very impressive telling her learning experience with several pictures also. The feedback was great. The second feature was
on a beef production farm that currently has 3 generations working together, and the 4th in tow. The reporter asked questions
about the beef breed Angus and how it is the "popular" meat. She was educated on GMO's along with using antibiotics in beef
animals. The difficulty of work life balance was discussed and how this family has livestock and row crops. The most recent
feature was on a local specialty pumpkin farm. The pumpkin patch was full of blooms and the process of pollination was covered.
The time frame of the planting, using the correct chemicals, and maintaining the pumpkin crop during wet weather were some of
the major features. The next article will be on specialty livestock from our county. Sounds like it will be just as interesting. We
plan on continuing this into the next spring so the local community can have a better understanding of our little county and how
diverse agriculture can be. We have reached over 5,000 households across 3 counties by providing this opportunity.
Edwards, "Barn Quilts" - A member came to us and suggested that the Farm Bureau help spear head a barn quilt trail in our
county. The Women's Committee liked the idea and ran with the project. First, they researched other trails around the country
and how to make and hang barn quilts. They then hosted an informational meeting for the community to discuss the project and
teach those who wanted a quilt how to make one. An application was put together for those who wanted to be part of the trail.
Once the applications were turned in, a full-color, trifold brochure was created with a map detailing where all the quilts are
hung around the county. In addition, a full-color, 8 foot vertical banner was made and is being put around the county advertising
the trail. The response has been outstanding with 14 quilts in the first brochure. There are plans to print a second brochure in
the spring of 2016 and we already have 15 additional quilts to add to the trail. The trail will be a great for tourism in the county,
and the quilts are adding aesthetic beauty to the county. Most importantly, the Farm Bureau is being seen as an organization
dedicated to our county.
Menard, "Central Illinois Farm Families Summer Tour" - The Central Illinois Farm Families continued their efforts in educating
the public about farming by hosting a summer tour. The first stop was to a potato farm in one of our district counties. During our
conversations at this farm we not only learned about potato farming, but also learned about how influential irrigation has been in
this area and the economical impact it has had on the county. Our second stop was to a beef cattle ranch in a neighboring
county. There, we started with a home cooked meal of ribeye sandwiches and all the fixin's. We then toured their cow/calf
operation and were able to ask one on one questions with their vet and nutritionist. Other programs are in the planning stages.
We look forward to more successful tours, like this one!
Pulaski-Alexander, "Farmer Appreciation Night with SI Miners" - 15 CFB’s joined efforts to provide an educational night for the
non-farming public. Farmer Appreciation Night was born after discussion of doing something that “everyone” could enjoy and
remember. A contact was made to a local minor league baseball stadium about doing something to teach the public about
agriculture. We were a major sponsor of a night of baseball. Several contacts and visits were made to the stadium for tickets,
banners, and just logistics. 500 customized t-shirts designed and were printed with the IFB Brand and the Baseball team logo.
They were handed out to the first 500 through the gates. Welcome banners were specially designed to be placed around the
ballpark that exhibited facts about agriculture. Illinois Farm Family commercials were aired twice during the baseball game,
about the importance of agriculture. Illinois Farm Bureau President Rich Guebert was present to help the District Director, throw
out the opening pitch. The night was finished up by Fantastic Friday Night Fireworks. The 4,224 attendees, not only enjoyed the
evening, they were educated about agriculture and why Farmers care about their families too! In the final weeks of the season
the shirts have been seen in the public and of course at the ball park.
Schuyler, "Ag Day Around the Square" - Our Annual Ag Day around the Square program consists of several booths that are set up
around the city square by Soil & Water Conservation District, FFA, University of IL Extension and the Farm Bureau. First & 2nd
graders participated in Barnyard Bingo with Extension, 3rd & 4th graders participated in a Corn lesson--learning about Corn with
Farm Bureau with money obtained by a Corn Grant, 5th & 6th graders participated in an Ag Scavenger Hunt with the Soil & Water
Conservation District. Our local FFA had a petting zoo with a horse, calf, pig, goat, rabbits, chickens and sheep. The local
farmers brought implements for kids to have a turn setting in the drivers seat. This program reached pre-K through 6th grades
and the general public, approximately 825 people, and was a fun way to teach the public about agriculture and how important it
is in our everyday lives.
*Coles, "Agriculture Benefit Barn" - The saying “it takes a village” seems pretty accurate when it came to transforming an
empty store in our local mall into a barn. Once we got approval from the mall, the CFB began digging into our resources and
reaching out to the local communities throughout the county – the local high school art department created life-sized farm
animals (cow, pig and chicken); an antique dealer let the CFB borrow a few antique items along with farm tools/equipment; a
farm store lent us some supplies and a chicken coop; and of course members throughout the county offered items from milking
jugs to equipment to hay bales. The CFB also reached out to our local and state benefit companies for items that we could use to
display that particular membership benefit (just to name a few: Neal Tire – tractor and truck tires, Sherwin Williams – paint can
with brushes and color swatches, local Ford dealer – 2015 Ford truck). The purpose of creating this barn was to grab the
attention of people and showcase farming from yester-year to today - use this area as an educational tool for the non-farming
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COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION (continued)
community while engaging the agricultural enthusiast. The other part to the barn was to promote the Farm Bureau organization
and highlight the tangible and non-tangible membership benefits to hopefully gain new members and to remind current members
of their membership value. The store had a very large front window, volunteers used vinyl that looked like barn siding and
attached to the window and where the two entrance doors were, vinyl that looked like a barn door were added. Inside hay bales
were spread out and the animals were put into pens that volunteers had built and the chicken had its own chicken coop. We had
the farm tools/ equipment and the membership benefit displays throughout the barn. A photo-backdrop with accessories created
a fun memory and a couple tables were set-up for kid activities. The outside of the barn was turned into the barn yard using
fences and having the Ford truck parked there. The barn was definitely a high-traffic area during that weekend and the CFB
heard several positive comments. Great media coverage - local newspaper and two television stations
Clay, "YL Host 1st Annual Ranch Rodeo" - This was the first year the YL have ever attempted to host a Ranch Rodeo. They are
very common in our area and we thought, why couldn’t we host one? This was one of the YL's biggest projects of the year; it took
months of planning and countless hours of work by everyone. This event began as both a fundraiser to help the YL fund their
projects throughout the year, and a way to help the struggling county fair draw the crowd and local interest it once had, all
while promoting the CFB. Our fair use to have a derby, motocross, and horse show at a specific location at the fairgrounds. Years
ago, they got rid of the derby and motocross and moved the horse show to an off-site location. The YL decided they wanted the
Ranch Rodeo to be held at the Fairgrounds because they wanted to bring back the arena and thought it would draw a better
crowd. They worked with the City and the Fair Board and eventually got the okay to use that location again. They had to work
the ground multiple times to make it usable, and with the help of a local Riding club, they got a temporary fence put up at the
location. Also, due to this location being brought back, we worked with the 4H horse club and they were also able to bring their
horse show back to the fairgrounds. The Young Leaders printed and sold tickets individually, in conjunction with local businesses
who served as sales locations, and in the high schools through the FFA teachers who are also members of the YL committee. The
rodeo was promoted on several local and regional radio stations, on Facebook, and in all local publications. The YLs worked for
months to receive sponsorships from agriculture companies, local farms, other businesses and placed advertisements in the local
papers for anyone else that wanted to fund their project. Signs were hung up throughout town, as well as at the fairgrounds. The
day of the rodeo, Young Leaders served as gate workers, assisted with the Calcutta (members of the crowd bid on the team they
thought would win), and with the Frisbee throwing (another way to get the crowd involved, the Frisbees were numbered and the
person with the winning team number won $50). Some of our Young Leaders are involved in Ranch Rodeos, so they helped spread
the word and get teams signed up for the event. We had 8 teams of 4 sign up. We took out a 1-day insurance policy for the Ranch
Rodeo and all teams had to fill out waivers. They competed in the following events: Sorting Event Sorting is a timed event that
started with a group of cattle located at the end of the arena behind a chalk line. All of the cattle were individually numbered.
As the first team member rode across the chalk line toward the cattle, the time started and the announcer called out a number.
The team members rode their horses to sort one head out of the herd at a time, beginning with the one called out by the
announcer, and moved it across the chalk line away from the rest of the herd. Once that animal had been sorted out, the team
members then sorted out the next one, working in numerical order. They sorted 10 cattle. If any cattle made their way across
the chalk line out of numerical order, or if any of the cattle that had been sorted out returned to the herd, it resulted in a
disqualification. Time stopped when a time limit was reached, or when the team sorted all their cattle. Branding Event Branding
is a timed event in which calves were roped and "branded." (The branding irons are not actually hot, but instead were dipped in
chalk.) The branding began with a group of calves behind a chalk line in a corner of the arena. The competing team had one
mounted team member (the roper), while the other team members were on foot (the ground crew). The roper roped one calf,
then the ground crew had to lay it on its side, remove the rope, retrieve the branding iron from a bucket, then "brand" the calf.
Time stopped when a time limit was reached, or when the branding iron was placed back into the bucket. Mugging Event The
mugging event is a timed event in which a steer was roped and tied down by three legs. Time began when a team member
crossed the line. The announcer then called out a number. The team members rode to that steer and one of them roped it by its
horns. After the steer was roped, the team members that didn't rope dismounted and laid the steer on its side and tied three
legs. Time stopped when a time limit had been reached, or after the steer was tied down and a team member signals for time.
The steer had to remain tied for 6 seconds. Trailer Loading Time starts when the roper crossed the line. The announcer called
out the designated animal number as the team crossed the line. The team sorted the designated animal out of the herd and
roped it. The steer was driven into a parked trailer at the end of the arena and the gate closed behind. The rope had to be
removed and the trailer gate closed and latched. With the rope out of the trailer, time stopped. For "half-time" at the rodeo, we
had teams compete in a "Dress the Goat" contest. A member of each team was responsible for putting a piece of clothing on the
goat. They had to dress them in a hat, shorts, a shirt, and a bandanna. During the rodeo, there was a "kids corner" where kids
could rope 'calf dummies' and play horseshoes. Also, during the Ranch Rodeo, our Women's committee served lunch and drinks,
there was also a homemade ice cream vendor, a kettle corn vendor, and a sno-cone vendor. The Calcutta paid out to the person
that bid on the first and second place teams. The numbered frisbees paid out first place to the person with the winning teams
number. Then the actual second place team was awarded money and halters. The first place team won money and breast collars.
We also awarded a halter to the "top hand" and a headstall to the "top hand woman". The Young Leaders raised over $19,000 for
the Ranch Rodeo and the concert with the help of sponsors. They then made $1,000 in ticket sales that day at the Rodeo.
Proceeds went to the county fair, as well as YLs to devote to their future projects and they also donated some of their portion to
the AITC program. We had multiple comments from the Ranch Rodeo teams at how well the rodeo was ran, it was best one they
had been to that year, and they hoped we would continue to have them in the future. We were ecstatic at the crowd we had
during the Ranch Rodeo and the support from the community. We hope to continue this event in the future.
McDonough, "Farm Trek" - The idea for Farm Trek 2015 started when a native of our county, and current Harvard University
graduate student, was noticing that the majority of public policy classes that were taught at John F. Kennedy School of
Government were focused on urban policy, with little or no discussion about what is happening in agriculture. In fact, in one
~2~
COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION (continued)
particular class, it was explained to the students that "farmers are paid to do nothing, paid to leave the land bare." Growing up
on a farm, this student knew this was not true. It was then he began to formulate a plan to educate his colleagues about the
truths of farming and agriculture policy in the United States, as many of them were from other countries throughout the world.
He knew that real life experience and hands-on learning "back home" were the most effective ways to accomplish this goal. The
Farm Trek 2015 group arrived in our area on Sunday, March 15, and departed on Saturday, March 21, 2015. While in our area,
students visited a dairy farm, Amish farm and lumber mill, beef farm, honey and candle factory, winery, and professional swine
management facility. Our CFB also worked with to coordinate a tour of a family grain farm in our county. While at the grain farm
the students had the opportunity to explore farm equipment first hand, talk to the members of the family and learn about farm
policy. IFB experts, Adam Nielsen and Doug Yoder, gave a presentation about state and national farm policy and entertained
many questions from the students. According to the event coordinator, this topic was of utmost importance to the students. Our
CFB worked with our neighboring CFB to provide Ag Day t-shirts for each of the participants on the trip, as well as a lunch during
the grain farm tour/farm policy discussion. Farm Bureau staff, directors, and members in our county, as well as a neighboring
county, corresponded with the coordinator of Farm Trek regularly throughout the planning process to secure logistics and details
of each segment of the program. Our CFB involved directors in discussions regarding the details of the trip. Members who were
serving as host families also communicated regularly with the coordinator and their student guest(s) prior to and throughout the
week. Farm Trek 2015 was funded primarily by the students, as well as through corporate and private donations. The coordinator
of the program received a generous contribution of over $20,000 from an anonymous donor, with the stipulation that the
donation must go through a 501c3 organization. Our neighboring CFB Foundation board voted to serve as the organization to
administer these funds. Farm Trek 2015 proved to be an extremely successful program. With this being the first time that our
CFB was involved in a trip such as this, it has generated many ideas among our board of directors for continuation or replication
of Farm Trek 2015. Since the conclusion of the program, we have learned that nearly 75% of students enrolled at a nearby state
university are from urban areas. We feel that this could be another great opportunity to educate students with an urban
background about where their food comes from and the many truths about production agriculture in our state and country.
Students who participated in the trip provided valuable impact statements in a post-trip interview, which are summarized below:
1. "I now have a better concept of what a farm family is. I had the perception that farms had massive staffs on hand... but now
realize that parents, grandparents, and children are involved." 2. "...fascinating to see the knowledge and amount of skill the
typical farmer has to have to use all of the tools and instruments..." 3. "...talked about GMO's and other controversial issues. It
was good to hear the other side, new information, much different than what is heard in the media" 4. "I think we should bring
some of the farming expertise to Washington, D.C. to help solve problems..." 5. "I thought the Farm Bill was all about subsidies,
but now I see it is more than that...it involves trade policy, agricultural policy..." Significant media coverage for the program and
our CFB was provided by AgriTalk, RFD Radio, Progressive Farmer, Chicago Tribune, Farm Journal, High Plains Journal, AgriNews, and numerous other local, county, regional, state, and national television, radio and newspaper outlets.
Mercer, "Farm Families Booth at Women's Health & Lifestyle Fair" - 1,000's impacted. Our Farm Bureau along with four other
Farm Bureaus sponsored a booth at a Women's Health & Lifestyle Fair in a nearby metropolitan area. The fair draws 1,000's of
women every year so we decided to take advantage of this captive audience to educate our consumers about agriculture. Our
booth included an Illinois Farm Families banner along with a laptop displaying the Illinois Farm Families website and information
on various agricultural hot topics including antibiotic use and GMO's. As part of the Farm Families promotion, we handed out over
1,000 jar openers with the watchusgrow.org website and Illinois Farm Bureau logo on it. Our presence at the Health and Lifestyle
Fair was a huge success as website analytics showed a significant increase in website traffic to the watchusgrow.org website for
our geographical area in the time following the promotion. Plans are underway to have a booth at the fair next year and to make
our booth more interactive.
Perry, "Farmer Appreciation Night with the SI Miners" - 15 CFB’s joined efforts to provide an educational night for the nonfarm public. "Farmer Appreciation Night" was born after several discussions of doing something that everyone could enjoy and
remember. A contact was made to a local minor league baseball stadium about doing something to teach the public about
agriculture. After several contacts and visits to the stadium for tickets, banners, and logistics, the resulting event included our
participating Farm Bureaus being a major sponsor of a night of baseball. 500 customized t-shirts were designed and printed with
the IFB Brand, baseball team logo, and a quick IL Farm Family fact on the back and were handed out to the first 500 through the
gates. Specifically designed welcome banners were placed around the ballpark that exhibited facts about agriculture, and Illinois
Farm Family commercials were aired twice during the baseball game to further highlight the importance of agriculture. Illinois
Farm Bureau President Rich Guebert was even present to help the District Director throw out the opening pitch. The night was
capped off by Fantastic Friday Night Fireworks. The 4,224 attendees, not only enjoyed the evening, but were educated about
agriculture and why farmers care about their families too! In the final weeks of the season the shirts have been seen in the
public and of course at the ball park.
*Hancock, "Farm Trek 2015" - The idea for Farm Trek 2015 started when a native of our county, and current Harvard University
graduate student, was noticing that the majority of public policy classes that were taught at John F. Kennedy School of
Government were focused on urban policy, with little or no discussion about what is happening in agriculture. In fact, in one
particular class, it was explained to the students that "farmers are paid to do nothing, paid to leave the land bare." Growing up
on a farm, this student knew this was not true. It was then he began to formulate a plan to educate his colleagues about the
truths of farming and agriculture policy in the United States, as many of them were from other countries throughout the world.
He knew that real life experience and hands-on learning "back home" were the most effective ways to accomplish this goal. The
Farm Trek 2015 group arrived in our area on Sunday, March 15, and departed on Saturday, March 21, 2015. While in our county,
students visited a dairy farm, Amish farm and lumber mill, beef farm, honey and candle factory, winery, and professional swine
~3~
COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION (continued)
management facility. Our CFB assisted with the coordination of these tours. Our CFB also worked with a neighboring CFB to
coordinate a tour of a family grain farm. While at the grain farm the students had the opportunity to explore farm equipment
first hand, talk to the members of the family and learn about farm policy. IFB experts, Adam Nielsen and Doug Yoder, gave a
presentation about state and national farm policy and entertained many questions from the students. According to the event
coordinator, this topic was of utmost importance to the students. Our CFB worked with our neighboring CFB to provide Ag Day tshirts for each of the participants on the trip, as well as a lunch during the grain farm tour/farm policy discussion. Farm Bureau
staff, directors, and members in our county, as well as a neighboring county, corresponded with the coordinator of Farm Trek
regularly throughout the planning process to secure logistics and details of each segment of the program. Our CFB involved
directors in discussions regarding the details of the trip. Members who were serving as host families also communicated regularly
with the coordinator and their student guest(s) prior to and throughout the week. Farm Trek 2015 was funded primarily by the
students, as well as through corporate and private donations. The coordinator of the program received a generous contribution of
over $20,000 from an anonymous donor, with the stipulation that the donation must go through a 501c3 organization. Our CFB
Foundation board voted to serve as the organization to administer these funds. Farm Trek 2015 proved to be an extremely
successful program. With this being the first time that our CFB was involved in a trip such as this, it has generated many ideas
among our board of directors for continuation or replication of Farm Trek 2015. Since the conclusion of the program, we have
learned that nearly 75% of students enrolled at a nearby state university are from urban areas. We feel that this could be another
great opportunity to educate students with an urban background about where their food comes from and the many truths about
production agriculture in our state and country. Students who participated in the trip provided valuable impact statements in a
post-trip interview, which are summarized below: 1. "I now have a better concept of what a farm family is. I had the perception
that farms had massive staffs on hand... but now realize that parents, grandparents, and children are involved." 2. "...fascinating
to see the knowledge and amount of skill the typical farmer has to have to use all of the tools and instruments..." 3. "...talked
about GMO's and other controversial issues. It was good to hear the other side, new information, much different than what is
heard in the media" 4. "I think we should bring some of the farming expertise to Washington, D.C. to help solve problems..." 5. "I
thought the Farm Bill was all about subsidies, but now I see it is more than that...it involves trade policy, agricultural policy..."
Significant media coverage for the program and our CFB was provided by AgriTalk, RFD Radio, Progressive Farmer, Chicago
Tribune, Farm Journal, High Plains Journal, Agri-News, and numerous other local, county, regional, state, and national
television, radio and newspaper outlets.
Carroll, "Backpack Program" - The YL committee started something new this year for those children who are in need of nutrition
over the weekend. The idea came about when schools were being cancelled for weather this past winter. Some schools do not
like to cancel as they know some of their students only get free school lunch and breakfast. Four volunteers worked with school
administration to survey the needs and evaluate the students who may be in need. Once it was determined letters were sent
home to the parents of those students. The letters were returned and the numbers of kids participating was sent to the Farm
Bureau. When talking to administration, we found out that a local grain elevator wanted to be a part of the program. Our two
organizations donated over $7000 and then solicited other businesses to be a part of it. We have volunteers who are on shopping
detail, packing bags, and delivering bags to the schools. Currently we have 77 students who participate during the school year.
Each Friday, they receive a bag with two breakfast items, two lunches, two juices, and two snacks. We have received nothing
but positive feedback on the program from the schools and parents. This is just another way for our organization to show how
they care for feeding the world.
Jackson, "Benefit Tractor Drive for Cardinal Glennon" - On a Saturday in March, 21, tractors big and small, new and old,
started their engines to trek 28 miles around the county for a good cause. All money raised that day was donated to Cardinal
Glennon Children’s Hospital. The committee chose that group a few years ago after a member’s niece spent a month at the
hospital battling an awful disease. The drive started at 10 a.m. and was the beginning of the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in
town. From there, tractors left town and drove all through the county until a snack break at the local FS facility. Drivers were
given a card to stamp along the way. Before they started, drivers picked two cards to start their poker hand off. At the midway
break, they drew another card, and once they returned, two more cards were drawn to complete their 5-card poker hand. The
tractor drivers love waving and bringing a smile and a memory to their faces. Along with providing over $1,300 for Cardinal
Glennon, the committee asked a local 4-H club to serve breakfast and lunch. All food was free, but donations were accepted. At
the end of the day they were very pleased with the club fundraiser. The event had 41 tractors, but 54 people participated,
either riding along or behind the tractor in a wagon. The Young Farmers committee then took a trip to St. Louis to hand deliver
the check and tour the hospital. They were so excited to have the group there, and the committee really enjoyed seeing where
the money went to.
Logan, "Ladies Night Out" - In conjunction with our local hospital, we were part of an evening that showcased various health and
nutrition concerns for women called "Ladies Night Out". This was a great opportunity to reach out to over 150 ladies of all ages
and talk to them about agriculture. We used the "Farmer Is In" booth from the Il Farm Families. This gave us a forum to share
information about our healthy, safe, food supply. Attendees signed up for a chance to win a meat basket. This enabled us to get
contact information so that we could connect with them in the future about the "City Moms" program.
Marshall-Putnam, "CITIZENS WORKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY" - The CFB determined that they should lend support to the
community in which our office is located. With the help of several CFB members, we helped to form a committee named Citizens
Working for our Community. Three projects were chosen to begin with. We chose an empty lot, an abandoned building and a
location that is intended to be a community garden. Fundraising efforts began as well as a media campaign to garner interest.
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COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION (continued)
The CFB donated two trees to the project as well as time and energy. To date, over $1,500.00 has been raised to help with the
beautification of our community.
Saline, "The 90-second haul!" - With the public hearing various opinions on the safety of food production, we had a program to
help combat the various myths most people hear. This is the 3rd year we've hosted the 90-second haul. The event consisted of a
local news anchor racing against a local radio personality to fill their carts with as much food as possible in 90 seconds. All food
collected will be divided among local food pantry's. Before the event a great deal of planning needed to take place. We began by
contacting the competitors from last year, and both were more than willing to participate again! Our radio personality had
already scheduled another event, but suggest to us one of his coworkers. We then had to procure volunteers, order the plaque,
make signs to display at the store, contact Kroger and the food pantry, and order t-shirts. The morning of the event all 6 of our
volunteers, our manger, the administrative assistant got to Kroger to make sure everything was ready to go. Everyone had
different duties. We had a photographer, a timer, a few people on hand with empty carts, and someone helping shoppers steer
clear of the chaos. The competitors arrived and were ready go, they chatted then were off to figure out their plan of attack.
They even came prepared to do a broadcast right there from the store! After a few minutes they were ready to begin. Once the
whistle blew, they were off! Cameramen were trying to stay our of the way, carts were going every which way, and food was
flying off the shelves!! It truly was 90 seconds of chaos! We had volunteers at the ready with empty carts so our competitors
could save time, and you wouldn't believe how fast those carts would get filled up! It was great to see such great enthusiasm
from all involved. At the end of the competition we were able to donate $1,500 worth of food to our local food pantry's. The
winner was also presented with a plaque to commemorate the day. Both before and after the event, our competitors promoted
the events and kept their listeners/watchers updated on the competition. We were fortunate to have a representative from the
food pantry there. He and one of our board members were interviewed, which was great publicity for us both. We were able to
reach an estimated 90,000 people between the news station, radio station, ads, and our Facebook posts. This event has been a
huge success for the last two years and we hope to continue the event in the future.
*Grundy, "Elected Official Lcoal Farm Tour" - The Young Leader committee decided to plan a tour of local farms and
agribusinesses to give our elected officials a better understanding of agriculture in our county. The goal of the event was to help
our elected officials gain insight into the day to day operation of these farms and facilities. The committee began planning the
event in January with the setting locations and dates. Save the Date emails were sent to each office and departments at the
county, county board, city mayors, State Senators, State Representatives, and Congressman were also included. Formal invites
were mailed in May. Attendees included the local field rep for our Congressman, State Representative, Intern for a State
Senator, 3 county board members, the county coroner, 4 departments from the county and 4 of their staffers. There were also 4
YL volunteers in attendance to discuss issues and review what had been discussed. The tour started at the CFB office at 8:00 am
where a brief outline of the day was given along with coffee and snacks. A bus then arrived to pick everyone up to transport
attendees. The tour included a visit to a local greenhouse, elevator with a river loading facility, and the final tour was at a local
hog farm which specializes in direct-to-consumer sales. Lunch was catered at the last farm and the tour wrapped up at 2:00 pm.
A reporter for the local daily paper also attended the events throughout the day. Her recap of the event was the feature story
for the weekend and was the front page photo as well. The event was very well received by everyone who attended and they
suggested conducting a spring/summer tour and a fall tour each year. The committee is currently evaluating those suggestions.
Effingham, "Business After Hours" - The CFB and the Chamber of Commerce partnered together to offer local business persons
an opportunity to tour a sweet corn farm and a hog farm during a Business After Hours titled, Agriculture & Commerce –
Partnering for Progress. Each member of the Chamber received an invitation and the event was also listed in the local newspaper
(circulation 10,541) and on two local radio stations with combined listernership of 24,000. Business owners were invited to meet
at a rural church where a representative displayed his drones and explained the benefit to agriculture. Participants then boarded
a charter bus that transported them to a sweet corn farm and a hog barn. During each tour attendees became more educated on
how their food is grown. At the sweet corn farm, participants heard about the history of the farm, learned about weed and pest
management and saw some equipment used on the farm. Attendees learned the process of field to fork for the well-known sweet
corn. While at the hog barn, the farmer explained how farmers care for their animals and the process and inputs required to
raise a pig to market weight. Attendees also learned how important it is to closely monitor each pig in order to ensure a quality
product. Following the tours, the thirty business persons met again at the church pavilion to enjoy a pork chop sandwich and
sweet corn cooked by the Farm Bureau Board of Directors. Several attendees commented that they appreciated the opportunity
to tour these local farms and learn more about agriculture.
Kankakee, "Consumer Outreach with Farm Tour" - In an effort to educate our community on modern agriculture and
conservation practices used in today's farming, a consumer outreach program was planned. A local farmer was identified to host
a group of non-farmers to his family's farm for tour and discussion. Being on a farm and talking to an actual farmer is the best
place to have a dialogue about modern agriculture. This farmer was chosen because he is great at explaining agriculture to nonfarmers. He is also the Co SWCD president and is able to showcase the many conservation practices he employs on his farm. It
was decided to be selective as to who was invited to the farm and an application was developed with assistance from IFB's Linda
Olson. An event was held at the local farmers market to collect applications from those interested in the farm tour. In order to
draw people to our table at the farmers market and to get a conversation started, we brought our ag trivia wheel, which worked
well. Out of the 18 applicants, there were 8 participants chosen based on their community involvement, curiosity about modern
agriculture, and their willingness to have a conversation. During the time at the farm, the host discussed soil testing, precision
agriculture, and variable rate application technology that farmers employ to protect the environment while conserving expensive
inputs. Other topics covered included the necessary components needed to grow crops, conservation methods farmers implement
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COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION (continued)
to care for the environment, advancements in agriculture, and the technology used in modern farming. During a walk into a corn
field, the group had a great discussion on the differences of GMO vs non-GMO crops and the pros and cons of each. The farmer
raises some non-GMO corn and he described the challenges of growing that crop compared to GMO varieties. He also raises a
small flock of free-range turkeys and described how the idea of free-range sounds nice, but he loses a large percentage of his
birds every year from natural predators and diseases they would be protected from if raised indoors. Our Ag in the Classroom
chair and a local seed company agronomist also participated in the farm tour to add to the discussion. Following the lunches
which were paid for by the Co FB, the group had a chance to ask any followup questions to the farmer and his famiy and to take
a ride in a variety of farm machinery. This project accomplished the goal of opening a dialogue with our community about
modern farming. Those that participated gained a better understanding of the important role farmers play in the modern food
system.
Livingston, "Young Leader Spotllight" - As a way to not only highlight our outstanding young leaders but also bring awareness to
the group, we have started a monthly column in our county publication. Each month a different individual young leader or a
couple is highlighted with a short article written about them and their background in ag and their experience in the young
leaders. We have had excellent feedback and this have given our young leaders a chance to get to know each other better.
Montgomery, "Grain For Groceries" - The 12 Young Leaders wanted to help the community in the hard ecconomic times. They
decided to have a “Grain for Groceries” program in the fall to help the local food pantries. Farmers were asked to donate a
portion of their harvested crop as they delivered grain to the 13 local elevators in the county. Any size donation was accepted,
from one bushel on up plus cash. The grain was sold on delivery as it crossed the scale and placed in a fund that was then divided
up between ten food pantries in the county before Christmas. A total of just over $6,000 was collected this year from 4 farmers,
just about half what was collected in the previous year. The Young Leaders designed posters to be placed around the county
elevators, grocery stores and run in the local newspapers. Interviews were held with the local radio station promoting the event.
At the conclusion of the program the Young Leaders wrote a thank you letter to those that made a donation and to the elevators
for helping with this project. A couple of the people that donated grain wished to remain anonymous. When the money was
distributed the Young Leaders had a large check made with the total amount collected so that when the picture was taken for
the papers it could be held up in front of the people who came to receive the checks for their pantries. 10 local pantries were
helped.
Woodford, "Selfie Hashtag Game" - Livestock Cutouts were made by County HS Agriculture Students. The Young Leaders had a
Selfie Hashtag Game where people would take a Selfie with the cutouts (A Steer, a pig, a lamp and a goat). Each day at our
county fair, these animals could be found hanging out at a different spot. Those that came out to enjoy the fair, would then
share their pictures on Social Media with the tag #__Co4HFair. These pictures were shared on Social Media pages to increase
Farm Bureau awareness. These cutouts were such a hit, their has already been requests for additional animals, such as a chicken
and a rabbit.
*Madison, "Clementine Roll" - Harvest for All is a worthwhile cause. Our committee also saw it as a terrific opportunity for an
entertaining competition. The committee stumbled upon the idea for a Clementine Roll at the 2012 IAA Annual Meeting. The
completion seems to grow more popular each year. In 2014, more than 40 “rollers” from County Farm Bureaus throughout the
state paid $20 each for the chance to compete. The entry fee gave each roller three chances to roll a clementine down a long
Palmer House hallway from the threshold of our county’s suite to a doorway at the other end of the hall. The roller whose
clementine came closest to the target door was eligible to win half of the collected entry fees. The competition was fierce. It
was also pure entertainment for the contestants and the crowd that packed the suite to watch the festivities. When the
champion donated their winnings, the competition raised over $700 for the Harvest for All campaign. These funds were combined
with the proceeds from our committee’s “Harvest for All Jars.” The jar is a fixture for personal donations at each Young Farmer
meeting and each monthly board meeting. Each committee member and board member contributes as the jar is passed around at
the end of each meeting. The combined total of over $800 was then deposited in our district’s Harvest for All jar in the exhibit
hall.
Champaign, "Ag Night at the Symphony" - Trying to reach a slightly different audience our CFB partnered with the local
symphony to introduce a rare opportunity to farming members and symphony attendees of the community. The music featured in
the symphony that evening was a set list featuring music that was to capture the nature, wildlife, countryside and prairies of
rural America. The Master of Ceremonies that evening was Max Armstrong. In the lobby of the performance hall, a Ford 8N sat in
front of a green screen (with a corn field as the image), creating a neat photo opportunity for symphony attendees and farming
members alike. A portion of the proceeds from the photos were donated to the local food bank. CFB staff and directors of the
board conversed with consumers about where their food comes from, machinery, conservation practices and production
agriculture. CFB had a raffle to win die-cast model tractors, partners magazines, brochures, ag trading cards, water cycle
bracelets and gave away books containing history of the CFB within the community. The evening was the most well-attended
during the symphony's special series and was an excellent evening for all those involved. Our CFB looks forward to participating
at this event again next year.
Cook, "Grocery Giveaway" - Our project utilized Facebook to feature local faces of farming. Through paid social media
advertising, urban consumers learned about farming, food, and the shared values of local farmers and urban families. Five
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COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION (continued)
Facebook ads featured a local farm family, family recipe, message about the shared values of local farmers and urban families,
and instructions to enter to win a $250 grocery store gift cards. Consumers were asked to “like” our Facebook page and comment
or share the post to be entered into a drawing for the grocery store gift cards. Gift cards were awarded in June, July, and
August. At the conclusion of this project, we continued to engage Facebook users through positive consumer trust messages.
INTENT: 10 Public Relations Team volunteers determined that our project should use organic and paid social media advertising to
connect urban consumers with local farms and farm families. Volunteers identified that social media would enable to target
urban consumers with positive messages and images of modern farming. Each Facebook ad ran for 7 days and was promoted in
the monthly publication and on the website. Each ad included a photo of a local farmer, their families, farm, a family recipe,
and guidelines for the grocery gift card giveaway. Prior to the release of the ads, in April and May, 5 volunteers and their families
were photographed at their farms. Photos and positive consumer messages were then selected by 9 Public Relations volunteers
and one staff member. 2 paid Facebook ads ran in May, 1 paid ad ran in June, and 2 paid ads ran in July. 9 volunteers and one
staff member were assigned to monitor Facebook, reply to comments, and engage with urban consumers. Three volunteers
awarded three grocery store gift cards in June, July, and August. Staff was assigned to maintain a record of those moms who
liked the Facebook page and commented, shared, or liked posts. Staff compiled eligible entries and and selected the winners.
The project was evaluated in August. NEEDS MET: The purpose of this project was to reach numerous urban consumers via social
media and to positively influence their thoughts about farming and modern farming methods. The primary objective of our
project was to: build consumers' trust of modern farming practices by engaging them in a discussion about the shared values
between farmers and consumers, including the importance of healthy and nutritious food, the proper care and treatment of
animals, and the joint commitment to improving the environment. Secondary goals of our project include: increasing consumers'
awareness of local farmers; connecting urban consumers with farmers in a highly urban county; and generating consumer
contacts for future social media campaigns. IMPACT: According to Facebook data 417, 652 individuals viewed the paid ads and
22,000 individuals engaged with the page and volunteers. VOLUNTEERS: 10 Public Relations Team volunteers planned and
implemented this project. 5 board members participated in the photos of family farms. 10 volunteers participated in monitoring
Facebook and replying to comments.
Kane, "Ask Me, I'm A Farmer" - CFB created an Ask A Farmer promotion to help non-farming public understand issues related to
farms and food. CFB designed "Ask A Farmer" banners and yard signs with questions about farms, food, technology and other farm
& food issues to prompt question from members of the public at events. Volunteers were provided with brightly colored t-shirts
emblazoned with the message "Questions about farms & food? As Me. I'm a Farmer" Promotion with banners, signs an t-shirts was
used at events including our CFB Touch A Tractor open house and our county fair. Volunteers also wore the t-shirts to a CFB
regional advertising group event designed to meet the public at the zoo. Farmers wear shirts to make them more visible to public
and allow visitors to ask them questions about farms and food. Banners and signs included topics such as GMO's, antibiotics and
VRT to give guests ideas for discussion.
Macon, "Memorial Drive" - A group of 7 of our members formed a drive committee to hold a tractor drive in memory of one of
our past president's to raise money for a scholarship in his name. One notable difference in this drive compared to other drives
around us was that we did not limit it to antique tractors. We allowed anything that could maintain at least a 10 mph speed
limit. We did radio advertisements as well as sent out flyers to other tractor drives that were held in other parts of the state to
promote the drive as well as taking out a 1/4 page ad in FarmWeek. Our committee toured the countryside to determine a route
in which the group would travel past the home of our past president so that his wife could see all of the vehicles coming by. The
local Lions Club allowed us to use their facilities for our event as the past president was a very active member in their club. To
start off the event, we took a picture of each tractor with their driver before they lined up. These would be given to the drivers
upon their return as a souvenir photograph. The son and grandson of the past president lead the group of 42 tractors (new and
old) and 1 UTV to participate on the 27 mile route. One of our local fertilizer companies provided their facility to be used as a
rest stop along the route. The fertilizer company graciously provided soda, water, and bathrooms for all of our drivers. Upon
completion of the drive, the drivers and other guests were treated to a pork chop sandwich with trimmings and everyone also
walked away with a donated prize from various local businesses and ag retailers. This was our second annual event and was a
tremendous success as we raised over $2200 to go towards our scholarship fund in memory of a past president and great friend to
Farm Bureau.
Will, "Open House 2" - This ended up being our second event for the PEARS year due to some dates changes and requests from
the public to do another. A member of our Viewpoint Committee opened his farm to the public. This was done on a Sunday and
ran from 11am to 4pm. Food was provided (snacks/ hot dogs, etc.) The event was listed on our Facebook and in our paper. While
it rained in the morning, the sun came out and it ended up being a great day. We had some informational tables there, fun
games for the kids, a tractor maze for people to actually drive the tractor, a drone to explain how it would work in agriculture,
shelling corn, people explaining the combine, tractor, a bee demonstration, hay rack ride, and a tour through the chicken coop.
Event goers were able to participate in planting vegetables (radishes) and cover crops were explained. We explained how we
market our crops and discussed the DDG's and ethanol market. We provided fun hand-outs and had activities for the kids in
addition to all of the above. A tent was set up for an eating area. We also discussed the family farm and showed 10 different
seed signs. We explained the signs are like a person who prefers Ford over Chevy. We are family farms promoting what we like on
our farm. We had people also by the horses; goats, donkeys and other animals and we had a total of 19 volunteers help. Media
covered the event and elected officials attended.
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