CCFB News» March 2020

Submit photos of animals, including pets, livestock, and horses. Win one of three cash prizes in three different categories.

With the coronavirus causing unprecedented disruption in the U.S. and global economies, the University of Illinois farmdoc team is offering a series of webinars to discuss the impact the coronavirus crisis on Corn Belt agriculture.

The webinars are expected to be 30 minutes long, but can be extended if necessary. Each webinar will begin with brief presentations, with the bulk of the time available to answer questions from attendees.

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) and the state agriculture education system are offering online lessons and resources to help educators, parents, and students, especially while schools statewide are closed. Check daily for more information.

Cook County Farm Bureau® has been monitoring the developments related to COVID-19. Circumstances are changing daily. Aggressive and preventative measures are being taken to protect our individual and collective health requiring many of us to adjust our normal practices, impacting all of our daily lives.

We are communicating to members that due to our concern and interest in member safety and well-being, the Board of Directors has decided to postpone the Breakfast at the Farm Bureau 100 Year Anniversary Open House and Celebration originally scheduled for March 28, 2020. We believe that we have a responsibility to do our share to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This spotlight is for local farmstands, farmers’ markets, chefs and restaurants and organizations that are hosting farm-related activities, events, workshops, and gatherings that will occur soon.

Waters of the United States (WOTUS) was a rule created by the President Obama administration that put much of the country’s “waters” under control of federal jurisdiction. Farm Bureau members have been fighting for a reasonable alternative since that time.

On an annual basis, the Cook County Farm Bureau® pays special tribute to the Country Financial Managers and Financial Representatives that earn All American honors as well as those that are named in the top 10 recruiters of membership. In order to earn the recognition, Country Financial Reps must be “Farm Bureau certified” by seeking additional knowledge and information about the Cook County Farm Bureau.

The national 2020 United States census is set to begin in earnest this spring. This will be the first time the U.S. Census Bureau will ask household residents to complete the survey online.

If you enjoy gardening and would like to learn to share your gardening knowledge, the Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program may be for you. The next Master Gardener training for the south suburbs will take place in fall of 2020. Master Gardeners (MG) are a vital link in getting horticulture information to the public through Illinois Extension offices.

The Ag in the Classroom program is offering a summer internship to a college student majoring in Ag Communications or Ag Education. The individual selected for this paid internship will assist with educational programming including preparing agricultural education materials for Summer Professional Development Conferences, planning lessons and conducting summer youth programs, updating social media and writing articles for public relations.

Our new farm shadow program is a wonderful opportunity for our future workforce to gain valuable insight into potential agriculture careers.

Chicago May Ban Single use Containers (FarmWeek) - Two Chicago council members are proposing to ban single-use polystyrene food containers and reduce use of plastic utensils in the city, according to an “Eater” report from the Specialty Food Association. The proposal would require reusable plates and bowls at dine-in restaurants. Plastic straws, paper napkins and foil could be used – if compostable or recyclable. Plastic silverware and drink tops could be used only if the customer asked for them or at “self-serve stations”.

Each month we are highlighting a Cook County Farm Bureau Member: This month's "Face of CCFB" is...Elizabeth Hoffman, owner of West End Florist & Garden Center.

The past decades appear to have changed the landscape of education drastically, but have things really changed? Tools and terminology changes moved from encyclopedias to Google, filmstrip projectors to YouTube, chalkboards to Smartboards, slide rules to calculators to name a few.

Farm Bureau approved the following national legislative priorities.

Since 2010, Cook County Farm Bureau® has operated a Political Action Committee (PAC) designed to support candidates who are supportive of the policies, priorities and mission of the Farm Bureau while promoting the economic and social well-being of farmers and farm-related interests in Cook County.

Recipe reprinted with permission from member Joyce Holste, from our 2019 Cookfresh Recipe Collection Brochure, available online at www.cookcfb.org/discover-local/recipes.

How we care for our farm’s small herd of beef cows gives off a nostalgic vibe: The lineage of the cows traces back to Grandpa’s herd. Cows give birth to calves in the shelter of a century-old barn. Hedge posts harvested from the farm frame the pasture fence, and we paid the local FFA chapter to build the feed bunks in the cattle lots.

Over the past month, I made a point of emphasizing to the board and staff of the Cook County Farm Bureau® that this March issue of The Co-Operator publication was going to be part of the documents inserted in the time capsule that will be “planted” March 28th during our 100-year anniversary celebration. The future Cook County Farm Bureau board and staff will open the time capsule in the year 2070, 50 years from now. They will look at this publication and review its words. We don’t want those Farm Bureau leaders of the future to think that their Farm Bureau ancestors were anything but talented, skilled, enthusiastic, witty, thoughtful, and impressive deep thinkers. A lot of pressure to get this right!

The Cook County Farm Bureau® has been monitoring the developments related to COVID – 19 (coronavirus).
Circumstances are changing daily. Aggressive and preventative measures are being taken to protect our individual and collective health requiring many of us to adjust our normal practices, impacting all of our daily lives.