Honoring Veteran Farmers

IL Corn got a chance to catch up with veteran farmer Chris Gould (Gould) right before Veterans Day. After asking some questions and getting to know a couple of Gould’s experiences here’s a little glimpse into his story.

Raised on a family-owned farm, Chris is no stranger to hard work which he admitted helped him during his service. He served in the Navy for 10 years from 91 – 01. After his service and with a degree from U of I, Gould returned to the farm where he’s been an owner-operator for 16 years now. While we wish we could’ve talked with him longer about his experiences, here were a couple questions we asked:

Tell me about a couple memorable experiences.
It’s honestly hard to pick only a couple because I had so many but here’s a couple I’ll share.
1996 – Flying over Iraq
In 1996, we were between two gulf wars so at the time there wasn’t active shooting. Our battle group helped to enforce a no-fly zone (to keep Saddam Hussein from flying over his country). While monitoring we also practiced running bombing missions to prepare for potential live strikes. At times we would be “lit up” by Iraqi SAM radars, which we had the ability to jam or destroy but it was still stressful to say the least.
My service ended in 2001, three weeks after to the September 11th attacks.
When 9/11 occurred, I was flying onto a carrier off the Virginia coast. We were immediately loaded with live missiles and given orders to be on alert the next 3 days. This meant we had jets ready on catapults and we were in full gear so (if needed) we could launch in under 15 minutes ready to intercept anything that may be headed toward the east coast. It was a very surreal time with a lot of unknowns.
How did being in the Navy influence your owning and operating your farm?
They both impacted each other. After flight school and getting winged, I was assigned to fly F/A-18s. It was wonderful working with a top-notch group of officers and enlisted in my first fleet squadron, VFA-81 Sunliners. My call sign was Farmer and it’s not hard to guess that I was the butt of many pig jokes. Growing up on the farm, it helped me to grow an innate work ethic that I’ve now had my entire life but helped to contribute to my success while serving.
Transitioning to running a full-time small business in 2005 was made easier from skills I learned while in the Navy. While not airborne one of my “collateral duties” was leading as many as 70 maintenance personnel. Today I run a farm with several employees, so all my previous leadership experience helped to more easily transition into running a small business. I still use my aviation skills – 20 years later – flying for FedEx.

It is easy to see the similarities with farming and serving in the military. In both, we think of honor, sacrifice, leadership, loyalty and freedom. A big thank you to Chris and all those who have served from IL Corn.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Hear from Lou Lamoreux: Livestock Farmer and Former IL Corn Board Director

By Tara Desmond • September 3, 2026

Livestock farmer Lou Lamoreux talks about his farming operation.

captain Cornelius at shake it up cocktail lounge

Cheers to Corn This Labor Day

By Tara Desmond • September 3, 2026

4.29M bushels of U.S. corn fueled beverage alcohol production in July 2026 alone — up 54% from July 2025. Corn's in your Labor Day toast!

Can Short Stature Corn Deliver? Steve Fourez Puts It to the Test

By Tara Desmond • September 3, 2026

Illinois farmer Steve Fourez tests short stature corn against conventional hybrids, exploring yield potential and late-season management benefits.

USDA Announces Plans to Modernize Agricultural Data Collection

By Lyndi Allen • September 3, 2026

This week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Data Modernization Plan to put Farmers First, reduce unnecessary burdens on producers, and improve the timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of the data that informs agricultural decisions. USDA data informs crop and livestock estimates, risk-management tools, disaster assistance, and critical business decisions made by farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, researchers, and policymakers. In February 2026, Secretary Rollins issued a Request for Information seeking feedback on the opportunities, challenges, and emerging areas in USDA data. That feedback helped shape the USDA Data Modernization Plan and its four pillars: Modernize the Data Reporting Experience: USDA will expand use of administrative data, improve mobile access to surveys, explore opportunities to use prefilled information where appropriate, and strengthen coordination across the Department. These changes will reduce duplicative requests and limit the amount of time producers spend reporting information. Enhance Acreage and Yield Estimation: USDA will conduct a pilot to evaluate the use of improved satellite imagery, geospatial tools, crop models, and other emerging technologies combined with essential producer-reported information to enhance acreage and yield estimations. USDA will also assess the use of optional field inputs to enhance and ground truth yield estimates and continue advancing yield research through collaboration with agricultural partners and land-grant universities. Integrate Data and Technology Platforms: USDA will modernize its technology infrastructure, expand secure data-sharing capabilities, and evaluate the responsible use of tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Better integrated systems will improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and allow USDA to produce more timely and useful information. Expand Trust and Transparency with Producers: USDA will protect producer privacy, clearly explain why information is requested and how it is used, and create additional opportunities for producers to provide feedback. USDA will also improve communication surrounding reports, methodologies, response rates, and data limitations. USDA will begin implementing actions under the plan immediately and will continue engaging farmers, ranchers, and agricultural stakeholders throughout the process. The Department will evaluate new approaches carefully, protect privacy and confidentiality, and publish clear methodologies and supporting information to maintain the integrity of USDA’s agricultural statistics. See USDA’s Full Data Modernization Plan

Cornfield beside a dirt path under a blue sky with wispy clouds

EPA Grants Biofuel Exemptions

By Lyndi Allen • September 2, 2026

EPA has granted 1.76 billion RIN exemptions to small refiners, raising concerns among farmers and biofuel producers about the potential impact on demand for renewable fuel.

Week Ending 8/28/26 Summary

By Lyndi Allen • August 28, 2026

News from IL Corn for week ending 8/28/26