The Illinois Department of Agriculture today announced the candidates vying for seats on three commodity boards.  Producers will vote July 10 to determine members of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, the Illinois Soybean Program Operating Board and the Illinois Sheep and Wool Marketing Board.

Anyone who produces and markets commodities the boards represent is eligible to vote. Ballots may be cast at county Cooperative Extension Offices during regular operating hours.

“Commodity boards decide which industry promotions and research projects get funded with state checkoff dollars,” Acting Agriculture Director Bob Flider said.  “The the best way for producers to have a voice in how those dollars are spent is by going to the polls July 10.”

Checkoff dollars come from assessments levied at the first point of sale. State law sets the assessment for corn at 5/8 of 1 cent per bushel, the assessment for soybeans at 1/2 of 1 percent of market value and the assessment for sheep and wool at 2 1/2 cents per pound.

Write-in candidates are permitted for all three boards.  However, the Soybean Program Operating Board and Corn Marketing Board both require write-ins to file a “Declaration of Intent” with the Director of Agriculture by 5 p.m. on July 3.  A declaration of intent form can be obtained by contacting the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Absentee ballots will become available June 11 and must be returned to the department by July 6.

Following is a complete list of the commodity districts holding elections this year, the counties they include and the name and hometown of each of the announced candidates thus far.

ILLINOIS CORN MARKETING BOARD

Candidate and Hometown

District 2 - Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Carroll and Ogle Counties

Candidate - Lou Lamoreux, Lanark

District 5 - LaSalle, Grundy, Livingston and Kankakee Counties                   

Candidate - Paul Jeschke, Mazon

District 8 - Peoria, Tazewell, Fulton, Mason, Cass, Menard and Logan Counties

Candidate - Kent Kleinschmidt, Emden

District 11- Christian, Montgomery, Shelby, Fayette and Effingham Counties

Write-in candidate

District 14 - Madison, Bond, St. Clair, Clinton, Monroe and Washington        Counties

Candidate - Larry Hasheider, Okawville

SHEEP AND WOOL MARKETING BOARD

District 2 - Kendall, Will, Grundy, Kankakee,Livingston, Ford, Iroquois,        Champaign, Vermilion, Piatt, Douglas, Edgar, Coles, Cumberland and Clark

Candidate - Harold Davis, Odell (write-in candidate)

District 5 - Adams, Schuyler, Brown, Cass, Pike, Scott, Morgan, Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin Counties                            

Candidate - Lance Steckel, Winchester (write-in candidate)

ILLINOIS SOYBEAN PROGRAM OPERATING BOARD

District 2 - McHenry, Lake, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Will and Kankakee Counties                 

Candidate - Duane Dahlman, Marengo (write-in candidate)

District 10 - Dewitt, Macon, Christian, Moultrie and Shelby       Counties

Candidate - Jered Hooker, Clinton (write-in candidate)

District 11 - Piatt, Champaign, Douglas, Edgar and Coles Counties

Candidate - Wendel Lutz, Dewey (write-in candidate)

District 14 - Cumberland, Clark, Effingham, Jasper and Crawford Counties           

Candidate - Donald Guinnip, Marshall

District 16 - Clay, Richland, Lawrence,         Wayne, Edwards, White and Wabash Counties

Candidate - Timothy Scates, Carmi (write-in candidate)                                       

District 17 - Randolph, Washington, Jefferson, Perry and Jackson Counties           

Candidate - David Droste, Nashville (write-in candidate)