GROWing the Next Generation

Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to GROW

Interested in having your own experience in Washington, D.C.? Applications are now open for the 2027 GROW program, with the trip planned for March 2027.

Participants will have the opportunity to shadow IL Corn farmer leaders and staff, attend agricultural issue briefings, visit congressional offices on Capitol Hill and network with leaders across agriculture.

Applications close November 16, 2026, and spots are limited.

Learn more about the GROW program and apply today.

IL Corn's GrassRoots Orientation to Washington, D.C. (GR.O.W.) program allows Illinois farmers and agricultural professionals to see firsthand how agricultural policy is shaped and why having farmers involved in those conversations matters.

Through the program, participants meet with legislators, learn about issues affecting Illinois agriculture, and understand how to make their voices heard. But what does that experience look like from the participants' perspective?

Meet some of the farmers and agricultural professionals who have taken part in GROW and hear what they learned along the way.

Meet the Previous GROW Participants

Andrew Jolly

A sixth-generation farmer from Chenoa, IL, Andrew Jolly is carrying on his family’s farming legacy while learning how to make his voice heard in agricultural policy as a 2026 GROW participant.

For Andrew, farming is about more than growing corn and soybeans. It is about caring for the land, continuing a family legacy, and helping ensure the next generation has the opportunity to farm. Through the GROW program, he also saw how sharing that story can help others understand agriculture and the importance of having farmers involved in the decisions that affect their operations.

Evan Leeper

A sixth-generation farmer in western Macon County that his family has farmed since the 1850s. As a 2025 GROW participant, he gained a firsthand look at how farmers can play a role in shaping agricultural policy and making voices heard.

Whether he’s putting in corn, harvesting, or having conversations with farmers from across the Midwest, Evan brings the same mindset to it all: stay sharp, lean on faith and family, and persevere when the seasons get tough. He is a part of what keeps Illinois agriculture strong.