April Earned Media Update
Spring planting, nutrient stewardship highlighted in recent media coverage
Each month, Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) facilitates media interviews with mainstream news channels on a variety of agricultural topics. Subsequent interviews are monitored and measured based on the number of media placements, potential audience reach, and advertisement value equivalency (AVE) to provide insight into the volume and reach of IFB’s messaging as a top news source for Illinois agriculture. Continuing past month trends, IFB maintained a steady pace of media requests in April. Major topics for the month included passage of pro-agriculture resolutions by local county governments, pollinators & pesticides, climate change, NLRS field days, solar energy, and spring planting.
From April 1 through April 30, 2023, IFB fielded 23 interview requests from print/online publications, radio and TV news outlets, generating 208 news placements and potentially reaching 540.56 million people, which had an advertisement value equivalency (AVE) of around $5 million.
For comparison, in April 2022, IFB facilitated 11 media interviews, which yielded 174 placements and potentially reached around 39.6 million people, an estimated AVE of $366,590.
IFB remains a top source for agriculture news. We continue to work with national, state, and local news outlets on a variety of topics. To keep up with the latest news media coverage featuring IFB farm members, visit IFB’s “In the News” webpage. The webpage can be accessed under the “Resources” tab at www.ilfb.org. To check out the latest media coverage, visit: www.ilfb.org/in-the-news/.
Several central Illinois Farmers were featured recently in news features on a variety of topics, including spring planting, nutrient loss reduction strategies, and Mexico’s ban on GMO corn. IFB launched the ‘In the News’ webpage to highlight recent media coverage and thank farmers who take time out of their busy schedules to speak with members of the news media.
Most recently, Central Illinois farmers in Macon, Shelby, and DeWitt counties spoke with the Herald & Review in Decatur about spring planting conditions. Interviews feature farmers Adam Brown, Macon County, Bryon Coffman, Shelby County, and Kevin Toohill, DeWitt County. The article includes discussion on technological advancements in agriculture, which have helped increase efficiency. Read the full article here.
Farmers in McLean, Tazewell, and DeWitt Counties also spoke with The Pantagraph about rising input costs as planting season kicks off. Interviews feature farmers Jason Kieser, McLean County, Mike Deppert, Tazwell County, and Kevin Toohill, DeWitt County. The article discusses spring planting conditions as well as rising input costs and interest rates. Read the full article here.
For additional information or questions, please contact IFB Media Relations Specialist Sierra Henry at shenry@ilfb.org or Director of Issue Management DeAnne Bloomberg at dbloomberg@ilfb.org.