ILLINOIS FARM FAMILIES UPDATE

Tricia Braid

Aug 05, 2013  |  Today's News

The Illinois Corn Marketing Board invests your corn checkoff dollars with Illinois Farm Families, partnering in the broad-based coalition effort. In surveys, corn farmers told us that partnering with other ag organizations is important. You’ve also told us that consumer messaging is important. Illinois Farm Families covers both bases.

IFF Happenings

July/August 2013

Field Moms visit Drendels’ Dairy Farm

Saturday, July 27 was a day our Field Moms will not soon forget. Dressed in JACKETS (because it was a chilly July day), the Field Moms spent the morning touring Dean’s Dairy Facility in Huntley (about an hour from Chicago).  Melanie Stewart, the Quality Assurance Manager, discussed all the testing the milk goes through before it leaves the truck.  Then moms saw, first hand, that milk from the same farms gets the brand label, the store label and the generic label.

The afternoon was spent visiting Linda and Dale Drendel’s Dairy Farm in Hampshire.  The moms learned about the Drendel heritage (Dale’s parents, George and Marcella joined us), visited the cattle barns, and viewed the milking process.  Zach Janssen, the Drendels’ vet, talked with the moms about the care of the herd and performed an ultrasound on a pregnant cow.   Registered dietician Lisa Brandt answered questions about nutrition and the benefits of consuming dairy products.  The Drendels gave the moms the honor of naming a new calf (Elly).

An impromptu stop at the Farmer’s Market on the way home (Linda had prepared fresh corn-on-the-cob for lunch and told the moms where she got it) and the day was complete.

Our next tour is September 21 when we’ll be heading to Lynn and Mike Martz’ farm in Maple Park, Illinois for our harvest tour.

Field Mom and Farm Mom pair up for Radio Disney

2012 Field Mom Farrah Brown and farmer Bona Heinsohn talked to fair-goers and handed out recipe cards at the July 5 Taste of Lombard.  In addition, both Farrah and Bona were interviewed and featured on the Radio Disney stage.  Illinois Corn Marketing Board joins 20 county Farm Bureaus from North Central and Northern Illinois comprising the Food For Thought regional advertising group that supported this activity.

Illinois Farm Families are Illinois farmers who support Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Illinois Soybean Program Operating Board, and Illinois Beef Association through farmer-funded checkoff or membership programs. We are committed to having conversations with consumers, answering their questions about food, farmers and farming, and sharing what really happens on today’s Illinois family farms. More than 94 percent of Illinois farms are family owned and operated. We are passionate about showing consumers how we grow safe, healthy food for their families, and ours.