Celebrating agriculture at Illinois State Fair
Background: IFB Vice President Evan Hultine and I, along with IFB state directors and staff, joined our commodity group partners to celebrate Ag Day on Aug. 9 at the 2024 Illinois State Fair.
The challenge: Illinois consumers in urban and suburban areas are increasingly unfamiliar with the state’s number one industry and what it takes to produce affordable food, fuel and fiber.
The opportunity: Ag Day is an opportunity for dialogue. It’s a chance for us to tell our story and listen to our urban and suburban neighbors as they ask us questions about agriculture.
We also use Ag Day to showcase what we’re proud of. This includes “Fields Apart: Rooted Together,” IFB’s three-part docuseries that explores similarities between rural and urban farmers. Farmers featured in the series spoke on a panel at the IDOA tent and helped ISGA distribute 3,390 apple cider slushies, served in cups displaying a QR code linked to the docuseries.
Our pride further extends to the youth exhibitors who come to Springfield to spotlight their efforts behind raising livestock or growing a crop. Evan and I had a chance to applaud their achievements at the Master Showmanship contest and Sale of Champions.
IFB in action: Ag Day at State Fair finally serves as an opportunity to talk with elected officials about the issues most important to IFB members.
Passage of the next farm bill, trade, Proposition 12, farm profitability and biofuels framed our conversations with U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, on the fairgrounds.
We also talked with U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline; U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Hoffman Estates; Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton; USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Gloria Montano Greene, and State Reps. Charlie Meier, R-Highland; Jason Bunting, R-Emington; and Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.
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