CCFB News» December 2020

At the November meeting of the Cook County Farm Bureau, the Board of Directors elected its leadership team for the next year.  Ms. Janet McCabe, Orland Park, was re-elected by the Board to serve as the organization’s President, a position she has held for the past year.  McCabe and her husband Joe, farm in the southern Cook County area and northern Will County raising corn, soybeans, wheat and marketing hay/straw. She has served on the Cook County Farm Bureau Board since 2011 and has been a part of the organization’s Team structure since it was created in 2005.  She has served in a variety of leadership roles including Secretary/Treasurer, Governmental Affairs Team, Political Action Committee, Public Relations Team, Audit Committee, and Building Committee. She has served as a director on the Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation® Board.  In addition to her on-farm role, Janet is a Registered Nurse and has been practicing for over 30 years.

McCabe said, "I am humbled to be re-elected to another term as President and look forward to continuing our work with the goal of having the importance of agriculture in everyone's daily life recognized. I look forward to working with the board to optimize our volunteer base and their contributions to the organization."

Mr. Mike Rauch, Tinley Park, was re-elected to the Executive Committee as the Vice-President of the Board.  Mike Rauch has been a member of the CCFB Board of Directors since 2003 and has served as Vice-President since 2011.  Mike raises corn and soybeans in south Cook County and has been active in agriculture for the past 35-plus years. He is married to Laura. Mike has led a number of the Teams over the years. Currently, Mike serves as Chairman of the Public Relations Team, is on the Ag Literacy Team and Building Committee and is on the Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation Board of Directors. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from University of Illinois.

Ms. Ruth Zeldenrust, Chicago Heights, was elected Secretary-Treasurer by the Board. She is also Chair of the Audit Committee. She has been a member of the CCFB Board of Directors since 2011 and has been a part of the organization’s team structure since it was created in 2005.  She currently serves as Chair of the Governmental Affairs Team and is on the Foundation Board of Directors. She owns and operates Zeldenrust Farm Market and Greenhouses, raising local fresh vegetables and flowers/bedding plants in south Cook County.

Joining these three leaders on the Executive Finance Committee for the next year will be board members Gerry Kopping, Lemont, and Dan Biernacki, Tinley Park.  The Executive Finance Committee holds the responsibility of the budgeting, finance, personnel, and day-to-day oversight of the organization. They also joined the officers on the Foundation Board of Directors.

Gerry Kopping	Dan Biernacki

From the Board of Directors, the following leaders will head up programming committees of the organization: Mike Rauch, Public Relations Team; Gerry Kopping, Commodities/Marketing Team; Jim Bloomstrand, Member Relations Team; Tim Stuenkel, Ag Literacy Team; and Ruth Zeldenrust, Governmental Affairs Team.

2021 Goals and Objectives of Cook County Farm Bureau

• Help Farmer Members succeed financially in Cook County (Commodity/Marketing Team).
• Engage and influence elected local, state and national officials (Governmental Affairs Team).
• Recruit and retain Members through an increase in membership benefits/services (Member Relations Team).
• Improve the image of farmers through public outreach activities (Public Relations Team).
• Teach primary, middle school and high school students and teachers about farmers and agriculture (Ag Literacy Team).
• Develop a volunteer management plan (Board of Directors)