Illinois Farm Groups Request Funding to Safeguard Illinois’ Livestock

April 9, 2022
Pigs in a pen with logos of agriculture associations, text:

Last week, leadership from four Illinois commodity groups and Illinois Farm Bureau worked to increase the Illinois State budget request by $750,000 from the General Assembly’s FY23 budget toward the IL Dept of Agriculture (IDOA). These funds would be used to provide additional field veterinarians and proactive foreign animal disease prevention measures necessary to protect Illinois agriculture in the event of looming foreign animal disease outbreaks.

For most in the agriculture industry, you know that what you’re doing is providing food and items that consumers use daily and could not live without. For the average non-farmer who is disconnected from America’s farmers and ranchers, they may take everything in their lives for granted. How do you get to work? Corn. What’s in that makeup you’re using? Corn. The point is, agriculture deserves recognition more than for just a week but every year in March there is a dedicated week. 

 

IL Corn took this week as an opportunity to remind people of the key role agriculture plays in maintaining our world by offering a contest to nominate individuals who deserve recognition. Here are the winners in no order:

< Older Post

 Newer Post >
tara at white sox stadium

Five Years at IL Corn: What I’ve Learned, the Myths I’ve Busted, and Why I Own a Corn Dress

By Tara Desmond • October 16, 2026
Five years at IL Corn with farming, farmers, corn, and storytelling—with a few hot dogs, viral videos, and plenty of Midwestern waves.
Mexican CANAMI (National Chamber of Industrialized Corn) members at Illinois farm

IL Corn Welcomes Mexican Millers to Illinois Farms

By Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
IL Corn & USGBC hosted Mexican masa millers on southern Illinois farms and river terminals, strengthening ties with our top corn customer.
holding a cover crop

Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program Opens for 2026–2027 Season

By IDOA & Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
Pre-enrollment opens Nov. 30 for IDOA’s Fall Covers for Spring Savings program, worth up to $5/acre off 2027 crop insurance premiums.
Josh Linville and Collin Watters

What’s Really Driving Your Fertilizer Bill? StoneX’s Josh Linville Explains

By Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
What’s really driving your fertilizer bill? StoneX’s Josh Linville breaks down global supply, competition, and the long-term fix on IL Corn TV.
thumbnail of Megan and Jared

Illinois Farmers Can Now Add Conservation Terms to Leases With Free Templates

By Tara Desmond, Megan Dwyer and Brownfield Ag • October 15, 2026
Illinois Corn and U of I built lease addenda to help farmers and landowners build cover crops, soil health and nutrient goals into rental agreements.
headshot of Jenny Webb IFCA president

Meet IFCA President Jenny Webb

By Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
Jenny Webb has spent her career in Illinois agriculture. Now she’s about three months into a new job as president of the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA), the group that represents the ag retailers, applicators and suppliers who get fertilizer and crop protection products to your farm when you need them. Webb came to IFCA from Illinois Farm Bureau. She’s new to the fertilizer and chemical side of the business, but not to farmers or to the policy and regulatory issues that affect them. IL Corn sat down with her to talk about what she’s learned so far, the issues facing Illinois ag retailers, and why the work happening behind the scenes deserves more credit than it gets.
Show More