“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart” Elizabeth Andrew. April is National Volunteer month. Farm Bureau wouldn’t be able to host our programs if it wasn’t for our incredible volunteers and supporters, which includes those who volunteer time, talents and even monetary support. Some of our major volunteer drive programs include Agriculture In the Classroom, Kiddie Tractor Pulls, Harvest for All programs, Bruce Johnson Memorial Farm to Farm 5K/10K Run, Farm Fun Zone at the Fair and many more. Thank you to those who volunteer with and for Farm Bureau. To become a Farm Bureau volunteer please reach out to your county Farm Bureau.

Membership Value Program Business Spotlights:

Megz Country Cheese, Inc.: located at 420 Illinois Route 75 Davis, IL 61019, offers Farm Bureau members 10% off any food order, cheese tray order, or cheese purchase. Excludes bulk sandwich trays and catering orders. To learn more call 815-865-5516.

The Mid-Western Company, an online boutique, offers a 10% discount on orders. To learn more visit www.themidwesternco.com

Illinois Farm Bureau State Young Leaders make first official State Capitol Visit: Fifteen Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader Committee members made their inaugural visit to the State Capitol, where they met with legislators March 25, in what they hope becomes a biennial event. “It builds our relationship to come to them (members of the General Assembly),” said Jon Griffel of Macoupin County, a member of the Young Leader Governmental Affairs Subcommittee. “It’s of value for Young Leaders to get in front of them and talk about current issues impacting agriculture and members of Illinois Farm Bureau.” “We get a chance to talk to legislators one-on-one, and they get to know us,” added Michael Bernhard of Grundy County, representing District 5 on the State Young Leader Committee and vice president of the committee. “We are the future,” he said of the importance of sharing their concerns and experiences with legislators. Two key topics Bernhard wanted to speak to legislators about were the Family Farm Preservation Act and legislation about broadband deployment versus private property rights. Both topics were on the agenda of IFB members who visited the state legislature the day before, on National Ag Day, March 24. Mark Raney, IFB associate director of state legislation, met with the Young Leaders to update them about current issues and prepare them for their visits with legislators the day before the visit, said Kaity Carroll, District 6. One highlight of the event for Carroll, of Livingston County, was “just being in the Capitol.” The group, including IFB Young Leader Program Coordinator Perry Harlow, also experienced a guided tour of the building and learned of its history. “It’s the first time we’ve done this,” said Cody Conrady, chair of the Young Leader Governmental Affairs Subcommittee. He helped arrange meetings with legislators and visits to legislative committees to give the young Farm Bureau members more opportunities to gain advocacy experience. He and his subcommittee are hoping to plan a trip in 2027 to Washington D.C., so Young Leader Committee members can meet with members of Congress. Conrady, of Vermilion County, said his team is laying the groundwork for future legislative visits because nine of the 18 state Young Leader Committee members will be new next year. The upcoming change in the makeup of the committee is due to members aging out of Young Leaders or fulfilling their two, two-year terms on the committee, he said. Once the Young Leaders’ system is set up to visit state and national legislators on alternating years, future committee members can follow through, Conrady noted. The visit to the State Capitol was on day two of the regular Young Leader State Committee meetings. The first day in Springfield, the team worked on regular business, planning for the Young Leader Conference in Champaign next year and considering locations for the 2027 Young Leader Ag Industry Tour, said Young Leader State Committee Chair Garrett Williams of Richland County. Sam Deisher of Wabash County, District 17, said the event was a way to learn more about issues and share thoughts with legislators. “Maybe it will change our perspectives,” he said.