First Mid Staff Participates in Illinois Farm Bureau

As a voluntary membership organization, Illinois Farm Bureau represents many Illinois farmers and the state's agricultural industry, and First Mid Ag Services team members willingly get involved.

Farm Manager, Michael Bernhard, in our Kankakee office, was recently appointed to the Illinois Farm Bureau State Young Leader Committee. He is beginning a two-year term representing Young Leader members in District 5, which includes Grundy, Kendall, DuPage, Cook, and Will counties. Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leaders are young farmers, agriculture business professionals, or those interested in agriculture between the ages of 18 and 35.

The state committee organizes the Young Leader Conference, plans the annual Ag industry tour, hosts district and state discussion meets, supports governmental affairs work, raises money for Harvest for All to benefit local food pantries, and more. In addition, Michael brings new ideas to his county group and assists other Young Leader groups with member recruitment and retention in District 5. He is a member of the Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau and is active with county and statewide events. He can be reached at [email protected] or 815-936-8978.

Farm Manager, Craig Thompson, Regional Manager of our Bloomington office, recently completed a two-year term serving the McLean County Farm Bureau as an Advisory Board Member. During Craig's term, he represented McLean County Farm Bureau at the 2022 Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Chicago and the 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In addition, Craig represented the Illinois Farm Bureau on a 2022 Leaders to Washington trip. Leaders to Washington sends Illinois Farm Bureau members to Washington, D.C. for three days to meet with Illinois Senators and Representatives and highlight issues affecting Illinois farmers.

"My experiences attending the Illinois and national annual meetings, as well as the Leaders to Washington trip, opened my eyes to the impact of Farm Bureau on farmers' everyday lives," says Craig. "It is our responsibility as farmers and rural landowners to support county Farm Bureaus because they are working tirelessly to ensure the farmer's story is heard amongst legislators and the general public." He can be reached at [email protected] or 309-665-0048.

Read our full Spring Midwest Farmowner Newsletter here.