CCFB News» April 2023

The Board of Directors of the Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation has selected three individuals as recipients of the 2023 Scholarship Program. Elijah Floerke of Orland Park was awarded the Howard Paarlberg Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship. Receiving general farm and food scholarships were Matthew Smits of Sauk Village and Amelia Niedbalec of Mundelein. A total of $9,000 of scholarship funds were distributed.

Hosted a beekeeping workshop to train future beekeepers.

Join us as we kick off the Cook County Farm Bureau Photo Contest!
We are holding this contest to obtain usable and appropriate photos that accurately portray today’s agriculture in Cook County. Get your camera and capture moments by showcasing your best photos depicting agriculture in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Win a cash prize or Farm Fresh Funds*!

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2024 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Now in its 10th year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

The Mission of the Monarch Club is to connect individuals interested in learning more about expanding monarch populations with others who share a similar interest.

Cook County Farm Bureau® Celebrates its 23rd Annual Food Checkout Day

Together with partners, Cook County Farm Bureau® donated much needed food staples to four Cook County food pantries. Donations were raised in celebration of Food Checkout Day. Food Checkout Day celebrates the healthy and nutritious food local farmers grow and raise by providing food or cash donations to people in need.

Mr. Tim Rost, Indian Head Park, has joined the Cook County Farm Bureau staff to provide building maintenance and support on a part-time basis.

A great way to get the most out of your membership is to be involved with Cook County Farm Bureau®.

This book was Cook County Farm Bureau’s 2023 selection for its book club that this year drew more than a dozen participants. As a bonus after reading the book, all CCFB members and friends were invited to view the documentary film of the same name at the Historic Wagner Farm, adding a rich audio-visual dimension to the reading and discussion experience.

Every day, politicians and regulators in Washington D.C., Springfield, or your local community make decisions that impact you and your family.

In today's world, your voice can be easily drowned out by other interest groups. We need you to speak out and advocate to protect your interests.

Unlike many other states that tax both real and personal property, Illinois only applies a property tax to real property.

Food deserts are not limited to urban areas. They are not limited to Cook County. Or to Illinois. Instead, they exist throughout the United States. Nearly 39.5 million people or 12.8% of the U.S. population are living in low-income and low food access areas.

Cook County Farm Bureau members voiced their thoughts and opinions on upcoming policy issues as the Governmental Affairs Committee continues their efforts to bring forward timely and pertinent policy issues. Earlier this year, committee members embarked on discussions regarding food waste as members indicated how they felt about liability protections for donors, tax incentives for food recovery and donation, and expansion of food recovery programs.

Applications are now available for nurse practitioner scholarships through the Illinois Farm Bureau® Rural Nurse Practitioner Scholarship Program.

At the Cook County Farm Bureau, we celebrated National Ag Day (March 21) with two Ag Day events for third grade students: Ag Day South on March 16 at The Children’s Farm in Palos Park and Ag Day North on March 22 at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview.

During the March board meeting, Cook County Commissioners approved #23-1426, a resolution celebrating the importance of agriculture in Cook County.

“We have always been able to plant,” I reassured Mom while seated at my desk that faces hers. We should have been seated in a tractor. The season was spring and the year 2019, when it rained.

And rained.

And rained.

We truly appreciate our members and during our Member Appreciation Week, we want to provide some extra love to say thank you for your membership, your involvement, your interest, and your support. We know that it has been a long and difficult year for many. Thank you for partnering with us to get through it!

Recipe printed with permission from Cheryl Armstrong, My IN Home

Food costs will continue to eat away at consumers’ pocketbooks this year. USDA estimates food price inflation could increase another 8% this year after racing to its highest-level last year (9.9%) since 1979. Grocery purchases, or food at home, could experience the highest inflation this year at 8.6%, down from 11.4% in 2022. Meanwhile, prices of food away from home could increase 8.3% in 2023, up from 7.7% last year.

In July of 2015, I wrote a Downwind column entitled “Making of a Superhero” with the follow-up Downwind column in June 2016 entitled “And the rest of the story”.