CCFB Leaders Take Agriculture’s Voice to Washington

By: Kirk Builta
Champaign County Farm Bureau had a seat at the table in Washington, D.C., as CCFB President Doug Downs and First Vice President Adam Sharp participated in Illinois Farm Bureau’s Leaders to Washington trip. The three-day trip gave county Farm Bureau leaders the opportunity to take concerns from local farmers directly to policymakers and get a firsthand look at the issues being debated in Washington. Downs and Sharp joined other Illinois Farm Bureau leaders for briefings on the Farm Bill and other agricultural policy issues before meeting with USDA officials, members of Illinois’ congressional delegation and Senate Agriculture Committee staff. The group also met with representatives from the White House Office of Public Liaison, National Security Council and U.S. Trade Representative, along with a stop at the Embassy of Canada to discuss agriculture and trade.One of the highlights was sitting in on the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill markup. “We had the opportunity to sit in the Senate Agriculture Committee room during the Farm Bill markup, and it was an incredible experience to see our government at work on policy that directly affects me as a farmer,” Sharp said. “It was a great reminder of why it’s so important for farmers to have a voice in Washington.” Downs said seeing the process firsthand gave him a new perspective on how agricultural policy is shaped. “To be sitting just 10 feet from U.S. Senators as they discussed, debated and ultimately advanced the Farm Bill out of committee was an incredible experience,” Downs said. “You hear about this process all the time, but actually being in the room and seeing it happen gives you a whole new appreciation for how agricultural policy is shaped.”For CCFB, participation in Leaders to Washington is about making sure the experiences and priorities of Champaign County farmers are part of those conversations — and bringing that information back home to our members.Interested in attending a future trip to Washington, D.C., or participating in other Illinois Farm Bureau programs? Contact the CCFB office or Manager Kirk Builta to learn more.

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