Have you ever wanted to travel to New Zealand and Australia? If so, Farm Bureau and Tri-State Travel has the trip for you! This trip will take place from February 23 through March 12, 2026. Experience the countries down under like nothing you have ever done before! Hold a Koala Bear, enjoy a Home Stay with a farm family, float through the world-renowned Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, submerge yourself in the Great Barrier Reef and cruise the spectacular Milord Sound. Join us when we travel to this incredible land by train, gondola, boat, bus and air. The Adventure Begins! To learn more please call your county Farm Bureau. Trip flyers can also be found on the Stephenson County Farm Bureau website under trips and travel.
Freezer Meal Fundraiser hosted by Stephenson County Ag In The Classroom: Prepare for the busy fall season and support Ag In The Classroom all at one time. Stop by the Stephenson County Farm Bureau and pick up 5 delicious main entrees that have already been prepped and frozen for your convenience. All you need to do is cook them!
Option 1: Each entrée you take home serves 5 people, allowing you to feed your family of 5 for $125. That is only around $5 a person!
Option 2: Each entrée you take home serves 2 people. This option is only $60.
Menu items include Crack Chicken, Parmesan Honey Pork, Cheesy Ham & Potato Soup, Lasagna and Chick Pot Pie Tater Tot Casserole.
Orders are due on or before August 22 and will need to be picked up Wednesday, September 10th from 5:00p.m.-6:00p.m. at the Stephenson County Farm Bureau. To order your meals please call 815-232-3186 or stop by 210 W Spring Street, Freeport, IL 61032.
Stephenson County Membership Value Program Brochure: We are excited to announce that our 2025-2026 Membership Value Program (MVP) Brochures are ready and in our office for pickup. The MVP offers our members discounts with participating businesses. If you’d like to have a brochure mailed to you, please reach out to our office by phone at 815-232-3186 or by email at [email protected].
The Daiber Effect: Madison County Farmer’s Legacy Lives Through Generous Scholarship Donation: BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – A farmer’s legacy is not measured in acres or yield alone. With one of his final gifts, the late farmer Gene Daiber is planting seeds for the next generation of agriculture leaders in the St. Louis metro area. "Gene Daiber’s extraordinary generosity marks a first for the IAA Foundation,” said Susan Moore, IAA Foundation director. “Never before has a donor directed us to award scholarships on such an accelerated timeline. While I didn’t have the opportunity to ask Gene directly why he made this choice, I believe he saw the power of helping more students, more quickly, rather than holding funds in reserve.” A lifelong learner and Madison County farmer, Daiber quietly included a generous financial donation to the IAA Foundation as part of his estate plan. In his directives, he asked that the foundation distribute the entirety of the gift over the next 10 years, supporting scholarships for graduating high school seniors and current college students from Madison, St. Clair and Bond counties who are pursuing agriculture degrees in a wide variety of career fields, from trades to postdoctoral work. “This will have a lasting impact for generations,” said Eric DeMange, Madison County Farm Bureau president. “These students are going to get started on the right track.” Daiber, a 25-year member of the Madison County Farm Bureau board, was born in Highland and grew up on his family’s farm near Marine. After graduating from Triad High School in 1961, he farmed alongside his mother for a decade before taking over full ownership and operation of the farm until his retirement in 2014. He died at age 80 on Aug. 7, 2023. Lillian Daiber, whom Gene married in 1984, described him as a quiet leader known for his meticulous recordkeeping and deep commitment to lifelong learning. He also served as a mentor for young farmers as well as other kids in the neighborhood. She said she hopes the scholarship inspires students to value hard work and recognize its potential to help others. Moore said Gene Daiber’s gift reflects a deeper commitment than just financial support. His carefully crafted plans outlined a clear vision while allowing the flexibility needed to award scholarships in a way that honors both his intentions and timing. Daiber’s name will soon be added to the Farming Legacy wall in the IAA building, joining others who have made gifts of $1 million or more. Daiber's FFA jacket was also accepted into the foundation’s permanent archives, where his story will continue to inspire future generations. “Each year, over the next decade, we will be able to celebrate the generosity of Mr. Daiber,” Moore said about the donation. “His gift is already reshaping how we think about scholarships, and how quickly we can make a difference. That’s the Daiber effect.”