Events
The 17th Annual Farm Bureau Foundation Gala will be held on Thursday, June 13th at Pear Tree Estate. This fundraising event supports the CCFB Foundation and its programming like Ag in the Classroom and Scholarships. This is a ticketed event which sells out quickly. Call the office, or visit the www.ccfbfoundation.com/gala to see if tickets are still available.
Burger Bashes are an event hosted around Champaign County in various townships. This is an event that allows for communities to come together and talk about all thing agriculture. For the Farm Bureau, we use these meetings to better understand the needs of our members. We will be hosting three this year throughout the county.
Every year, CCFB host Toolshed Meetings in the community. This year they will be on July 24th, but the place and time are still to be determined. Kevin Semlow (Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities) will be presenting and answering question regarding what is happening in Springfield.
Mental Health and Mocktails will be an event from our Women Rooted in Ag group. Come enjoy tasty mocktails as Adriene Desutter talks about all things mental wellness. This event will take place on June 18th at 6:30pm in the CCFB auditorium.
On July 9th, delve into the intricacies of contracts, grain marketing, and soil quality concerns at our informative gathering designed for both novice and seasoned landowners. This will be in the CCFB auditorium at 5:30pm.
As solar and wind farms become more prevalent, the need for educated discussion around solar is important. Therefore, CCFB will host Bill Bodine (Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs), Noelle Neff (Assistant Director of Energy), and Garret Thalgott (Assistant General Council) from Illinois Farm Bureau to talk about what they have seen around the state and what to look out for. This meeting will take place on July 15th at 6:30PM in the CCFB Auditorium.
Come see CCFB staff at the Sunflower Celebrations put on by Clearview Farms. We will be hosting a “Whatever Floats your Goat” themed celebration for the event. There will be goats, root beer floats, and trivia for all ages. The festival doesn’t have a date yet as it is dependent on when the sunflowers bloom but it will be in late July/August.
We are also working to put together a meeting for carbon markets. As we see more and more programs designed around carbon, we want to make sure our members have the information they need to help them capture all of the possible programs that are out there. Look for this meeting to happen in mid August.
The Farm Bureau Foundation’s Golf Outing – Golf FORE Agriculture – will be held on Thursday, August 1st at the Illini Orange and Blue Golf Course in Savoy. Golfers of all skill levels are encouraged to participate for a fun-filled day on the golf course! All proceeds support the Foundation’s programs. Registration will open soon on the Foundation’s website.
To round off the Summer, we will again be having the Annual Membership Appreciation Picnic. This year is will be at Hudson Farms on August 11th from 4-7pm. We will be having inflatables, outdoor activities, and more for families of the farm bureau.
Committees
Governmental Affairs meets the Tuesday After CCFB’s month board meeting. This summer, those dates are June 25th, July 23rd, and August 20th at 7:30am. Governmental Affairs committee is a great place for members to engage with local, state, and federal government. We hope to see you there and to hear your concerns about what is happening around Champaign County.
Marketing Meetings will be held on June 27th and August 6th at 6:30pm at the Champaign County Farm Bureau Auditorium. These meetings are organized with the intent of bringing local experts and our farmers together to discuss the outlook of the farm inputs and crop prices to come.
Women’s Committee meets every month on the second Monday. This summer those dates are June 10th, July 8th, and August 12th at 9:30 am. This is a group of women that come together to stay engaged and give back to the community. Through community events, monthly meetings, and charitable efforts, the women of the Women’s committee continue to be a shining star for the Farm Bureau.
Primetimers is a group of people aged 55+ that come together every month in the CCFB auditorium. They enjoy a presentation, a nice meal, and entertainment from local groups. Primetimers will meet June 13th, July 11th, and August 8th at 10am.
New to CCFB is a group called AgriLink. This is a business group that is meeting periodically throughout the year to connect Agribusinesses in and around Champaign County. Our first meeting occurred on May 9th at Papa Dells. We are in the process of putting together more events for our agribusinesses.
Women Rooted in Ag is a newer group formed by the need of a women’s group that is able to come together outside of the typical 9-5. The goal with the group will remain a community of women rooted in agriculture, offering connection, learning opportunities and a platform to grow and share experiences. Women across farms, households, and boardrooms, are paving the way for a better future for farm families and we want to help them connect with each other.
Young Leaders will be meeting every month throughout the summer as well. This is a group of people below age 35 that meets for networking, career growth, and comradery.
Mark your calendars for these events and more to come.
Please reach out to lucas@ccfarmbureau.com for more information on any events that we have coming this summer or if you would like to hear about any other topics.
