CCFB News» June 2022

Goebbert’s, coordinated a superb event for our members and guests and instructors Jeanne and Shelly did a magnificent job of leading this fun crowd to create unique and beautiful butterfly planters to take home! It was an unseasonably hot and steamy May 11th but that didn’t hinder the making of beautiful planters for the spring and summer season.

Sweet Legislation Passes in Illinois - There’s a new day to celebrate in Illinois. State Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, sponsored legislation which recognizes Aug. 1 as Sweet Corn Appreciation Day. The day will commemorate all sweet corn growers and farmers across the state. (FarmWeek)

Throughout the legislative session there were several mentionable bills that Farm Bureau supported that passed both Houses: Farmers’ Market Retail Permit, liability insurance costs, and FFA License Plate Decals.

Engaged 21 candidates for local office, including candidates for Assessor, Board of Review, Cook County Commissioner, and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in conversations about Farm Bureau policy and member concerns.

School’s out (or almost out) for summer, so now what? Summer was always that time we couldn’t wait to get out of school, hang outdoors, ride bikes, sleep in (not one of my young or old abilities), and make some extra money.

It seems an unlikely thought that farmers would respect a plant with “weed” in its name. Yet the last few years, our farm has mowed or sprayed around patches of milkweed in pastures, ditches, field edges and grassy knolls in support of the monarch butterfly. Now, our kids experience and identify this signature orange-and-black pollinator as I did as a kid.

Agriculture adds over $17.8 million to Cook County’s economy. Agriculture includes the growing of plants and animals in all types of settings: rural, suburban, and urban. Agriculture includes the on-site production of crops (including horticulture) and animals, inputs, and food processing. Agriculture extends from the farm to individuals’ tables.

While local governments are created to provide services, we need to consider whether a surplus of these units can lead to inefficiencies, such as duplication of services, doubling up on equipment and/or infrastructure, and overlapping contracts with the same provider. Or do those local units lead to responsive and cost-effective services?

The Illinois Department of Agriculture’s (IDOA) budget is similar to the previous and current years’ budgets, however this year the budget includes a significant increase in both existing and new programs.

Since 2010, Cook County Farm Bureau® has operated a Political Action Committee (Cook CFB 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.

This spring Cook County Farm Bureau submitted a grant application on behalf of Hattie B. Williams Food Pantry in Oak Forest – and they received the grant! The grant, provided through Midwest Dairy Association, will provide commercial refrigeration to increase dairy storage capacity at the food pantry.

Eva Manzske, teacher at Walker Elementary in Bedford Park and Illinois Agriculture in The Classroom (IAITC) Teacher of the Year runner up, was recently interviewed by Mr. Mike Orso of the Illinois Farm Bureau. Part of the interview with her is included as the first part of a two-part Partners podcast about Illinois food companies, and in particular, Ingredion.

The Cook County Farm Bureau Board of Directors welcomes the following Cook County Farm Bureau members who joined the organization or reclassified their membership recently to Regular* or Professional Status**

FFA students traveled to the opposite corner of Cook County to be a part of our final high school Farm Shadows experience for school year 2021-22. The Rolling Meadows students learned about jobs within the large animal vet science field of work including the skills needed to be a large animal equine veterinarian, farrier, and nutritionist.

The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), coordinated by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), University of Illinois Extension, and a multi-stakeholder working group, was established in 2015. Its creation follows a 2008 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plan to achieve at least a 45% reduction in total nitrate-nitrogen (N) and total phosphorus (P) discharged into rivers. The U.S. EPA recommended provided framework in 2011 and in 2015, the IL NLRS was developed with its first goal of reducing the total P load by 25% and the N load by 15% by 2025.

Recipe printed from Jodie Shields, Partners

Last month, I celebrated May’s Teacher Appreciation Week by writing a column reflecting on teachers that were very influential in my life. I quickly discovered that there were too many influential teachers in my life to fit into one column!