Well, harvest is upon us. Probably faster than any of us expected or wanted but Fall is here. As we enter this new season, I want to take a moment to say Thank You for your CCFB membership. None of the recent successes of the CCFB would be possible without your continued support. From member appreciation events like the annual picnic and the burger bashes, to our educational events like marketing meetings and legislative meetings, to our development programs like the AgriLink Committee that is bringing together the ag professionals of Champaign County, none of this would be possible without you. Your membership is what fuels the CCFB. The CCFB accomplished a lot this summer thanks to you and to the amazing staff at the CCFB. Lucas, Emily, & Debbie worked hard this summer to bring you a wide-range of incredibly beneficial events and programs. As we have started working on planning and scheduling our winter meeting season, I encourage you to reach out with any program ideas that you might have so that we can best serve you as our members. Every renewal, every conversation, every idea, they all matter. You make sure that we have the resources and the credibility to make an impact. Thank you for believing in the mission of the CCFB and for standing together to benefit agriculture.
On the legislative side of things, IFB continues to work hard in Washington DC on the issues that are most pressing for farmers and producers in Illinois. The farm economic outlook and farm profitability are top of mind for the CCFB, IFB, and our legislators in Washington. Several ideas are being floated about how to provide economic assistance to farmers. Ideas range from using tariff income to fund an economic assistance package to trying to move the ARC/PLC payments up from Fall of 2026 to either late this year or early in 2026 to using the CCC for an economic package like the Trump Administration did in President Trump’s first term. None of these ideas are easy or simple but work is being done to try and aid the farmers of Illinois.
A “Leaders to Washington” trip just got back from Washington DC. This trip is truly an exclusive opportunity provided by IFB for farm bureau members to meet with the movers and shakers in Washington DC. The members on this trip met with Senators Durbin and Duckworth, along with their respective Representatives. They met with USDA officials, including the head of the FSA and members of the Trump Administration as well. I would encourage any member that has an interest in advocacy and legislative programs to consider going on a “Leaders to Washington” trip. It is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity, and to make it even better, IFB covers the costs of the trip.
If you have any questions about how the CCFB and IFB advocate for you as members, please feel free to reach out to the CCFB office. I would be more than happy to chat.
Bailey Conrady
Manager, CCFB
9/19/25
