October - November Highlights Annual Report

State-Level Advocacy: Tariff Hearing & Executive Order Signing
House Agriculture Chair Sonya Harper (D-Chicago) held a subject matter hearing on the impact of tariffs on Illinois’ farm economy, where IL Corn’s Director of Exports and Logistics, Collin Watters, testified alongside other commodity leaders and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. ICGA also attended Governor Pritzker’s signing of Executive Order 2025-07 on a Taylorville farm—an acknowledgment of the multi-year economic strain caused by trade disruptions, falling demand, and high input costs.
National Recognition as Expert Voices
This fall, ICGA staff and farmer leaders were featured speakers across major national and regional conferences, underscoring ICGA’s role as a leading voice on sustainability, biofuels, and farmer economics. ICGA participated in panels elevating Illinois corn farmers in national policy and climate-smart agriculture discussions.
Organizational Momentum at the ICGA Annual Meeting
New officers and directors were elected for 2025–2026, and ICGA honored leaders through the World of Corn Award and Media Award—reinforcing the organization’s strength, credibility, and member-driven leadership.

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Four people posing in front of the U.S. Capitol at sunset

GROWing the Next Generation

By Lyndi Allen • November 5, 2026

IL Corn's GrassRoots Orientation to Washington, D.C. program allows Illinois farmers and agricultural professionals to see firsthand how agricultural policy is shaped.

U.S. Capitol building at sunrise, viewed from a low angle with a yellow road line leading toward it

Election Results Set the Stage for IL Corn's Work Ahead

By Brad Stotler and Lyndi Allen • November 5, 2026

Illinois voters delivered decisive victories for Democrats across the state, expanding the party’s supermajorities in the General Assembly and electing a new U.S. Senator.