IFB Annual Report 2024

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

Bushels per acre. Dress weights. Pounds. Farmers share a common language when quantifying the bounty of our farms through each growing season.

But when it comes to measuring our organization’s success each year, what scale truly captures the impact of Illinois Farm Bureau on our businesses, our families and our communities?

This report is an attempt to calculate that impact and define the value provided to every IFB member in 2024.

As you’ll read, the foundation of that value is rooted in three core pillars: impactful advocacy, trusted information and meaningful development. Together, they make up the advantage exclusively available to IFB members to support their careers and farm families.

We excelled as an organization in 2024 in executing diverse programs and initiatives around this advantage. From advocating for land use issues and connecting members to their elected officials, to supporting rural development, farmer-led nutrient stewardship efforts and agricultural education, IFB made a difference on your farms and in your communities.

Your engagement on agricultural issues was essential to the progress we made this year, with over 1,500 contacts between IFB members and lawmakers related to our legislative priorities.

We also continued our tradition of bipartisanship, grassroots policy development and connecting rural, suburban and urban Illinois, all while crafting an Organizational Member Strategy roadmap that reflects thousands of member voices.

The OMS Roadmap responds to the changing needs of our members and will guide how we create opportunities for future generations to increase their profitability, enhance their communities and grow as leaders.

Illinois Farm Bureau’s strength stems from our policy, our priority issues and our people — and that strength is represented across this report. I am truly proud of the progress we made, together, in 2024, and cannot wait to see where this momentum takes us in 2025.

Brian Duncan
IFB President

President Brian Duncan giving a speech at Annual Meeting

When farmers share their perspective, it helps us be better informed.

Mike Porfirio
Illinois State Senator and Adopted Legislator

Text written on a tan background. Impactful Advocacy - Our members develop grassroots policy that allows us to be a local, state and federal voice with trusted relationships in the legislative, regulatory and industry spaces to serve as an impactful advocate for our members.

Two boxes outlined in red on a tan background with text written in them. 64 visits with adopted legislators and 3 new adopted legislators, 4 new members of congress who visited Illinois Farms.

Two boxes outline in tan on a red background with text. 9 total members of congress visited IFB member farms, including 4 who sit on the house ag committee. 23 members who met with eight national legislators during the leaders to Washington trip.

Black text written on a tan background. IFB members have made 1,524 contacts with legislators through fb act so far in 2024.

HOW IFB SERVED YOU IN 2024: ADVOCACY

FEDERAL

• IFB President Brian Duncan in a letter to USDA pushed for only U.S.-sourced feedstocks to qualify for the 45Z tax credit.

• After IFB and other top ag organizations filed comments, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its proposed Scope 3 emissions reporting requirement, which would have imposed undue burdens on Illinois farmers. Nearly 1,200 IFB members communicated with their representatives about the rule.

• IFB joined other state commodity groups in a letter to legislators expressing concern about the financial strain imposed on Illinois farmers by agricultural tariffs and the widening trade gap.

LOCAL

• IFB’s Allies in Agriculture continued its momentum, with seven additional counties passing Pro Agriculture Resolutions in 2024. Nearly 60 of the state’s counties have committed to building partnerships and helping government officials better understand and support agriculture.

STATE

• The IFB State Legislative and Environmental teams successfully prevented SB 771, SB 3669 and HB 5386 from passing this year. The three bills aimed to broaden environmental regulations over wetlands, regardless of size, placing undue burdens on Illinois farmers and landowners. IFB also prevented passage of a bill that would have copied California's emission standards.

• The Family Farm Preservation Act, a bipartisan measure supported by IFB, was introduced in Springfield. The bill addresses the discrepancy in the state estate tax between escalating farm estate valuations and annual farm income. IFB President Brian Duncan testified before the Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee on behalf of the FFPA.

• A state appellate court sided with IFB and landowner groups, reversing the certification for the Grain Belt Express project, a statewide high-voltage direct current transmission line. IFB petitioned to intervene in three carbon capture and sequestration projects, pending before the Illinois Commerce Commission.

• IFB partnered with the Illinois Secretary of State to resolve an issue with their system that did not allow drivers to hold a Class B CDL and a Class A Non-CDL simultaneously. This change allows Class B CDL drivers to continue jobs, like driving a school bus, while also making them available to help farmers by driving semis with farm plates.

Woman sitting down looking at her cell phone.

FarmWeek embodies the essence of top-quality journalism in service to farmers across Illinois. The publication's coverage of diverse ag issues demonstrates a nuanced understanding of its audience's interests and concerns.

American Farm Bureau Federation
for 2024 communication awards

Text written on a tan background. Trusted Information - We deliver trusted news and educational resources of unmatched value so our members can make sound business decisions.

Two boxes outlined in red on a tan background with text in them. 3,000+ external media placements, building public trust for Illinois farmers. 1,000+ drivers educated through IFB's Rules for the Road series.

One box outlined in tan on a read background with text inside. 115 RFD radio station frequencies.

Black text on a tan background. RFD Radio is the #1 Ag radio network in Illinois and produces 15 hours of original content every single week.

HOW IFB SERVED YOU IN 2024: INFORMATION

• FarmWeek celebrated 50 years of serving Illinois farmer members. Since 1974, FarmWeek has published nearly 2,500 issues of in-depth, high-quality agricultural journalism for IFB members. An Illinois House Resolution declared June 10, 2024, FarmWeek Appreciation Day in the state.

• IFB earned seven communications awards from AFBF, noting that “FarmWeek embodies the essence of top-quality journalism in service to farmers across Illinois.”

• IFB launched the Taking Stalk with Illinois Farm Bureau podcast. State and national experts join President Brian Duncan and Rita Frazer monthly for in-depth analysis of important ag issues.

• IFB released the complete docuseries, Fields Apart: Rooted Together, which highlights the diversity of ag in the state and connects rural, urban and suburban parts of Illinois.

• Seven county Farm Bureaus hosted field days supported by IFB’s Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program, highlighting Illinois farmers’ contributions to goals in the state’s Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.

• IFB highlighted military veteran farmers in its Cultivating Our Communities video series, a partnership with Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, the Illinois Specialty Growers Association, and the Illinois Department of Agriculture that highlights the diversity of Illinois agriculture.

Farm Bureau has given me the confidence to become more involved in my community and to be a stronger advocate for agriculture. I would encourage anybody with the desire to better themselves to join. What you put into the program, you will see a return 10 times over.

Tori Richter
2024 ALOT Graduate

Text written on a tan background. Meaningful Development - We commit to developing members at every stage of their career through leadership development, networking, and enhanced business acumen to improve their opportunity for profitability and build a strong community of agriculturists.

Two boxes outlined in tan on a red background with text inside. 70 students in the Rimsap program, which is designed to provide doctors to Illinois' rural communities. 437 teachers participated in Illinois Ag in the Classroom's Summer Ag Institute.

Black text on a tan background. With 18 graduates in 2024, IFB's Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT) program has graduated more than 1,200 leaders in 45 years since 1979.

HOW IFB SERVED YOU IN 2024: DEVELOPMENT

• The IAA Foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants and gifts to support the future of agriculture through education and research.

• Nearly 500 members came together for education, networking, and professional development at the Young Leader Conference, showcasing IFB’s longstanding commitment to developing the state’s next generation, and more than 20 attended IFB's Young Leaders Ag Industry Tour of Costa Rica.

Four men posing behind a check to Albion Park from Edwards County Farm Bureau.

• The 2024 Presidents Conference brought together 84 county Farm Bureau presidents for legislative and organizational updates as well as leadership development. CFB Presidents also contributed to IFB’s grassroots policy development process, with the Resolutions Committee fielding 29 policy submittals from 15 different CFBs.

• IFB debuted the AgTech Innovation Showcase, Summer Ag Tour and NASCAR member appreciation event, providing members with networking opportunities and cutting-edge programming.

• IFB distributed $30,000 in rural development grants to projects that met a need in rural communities and is committed to distributing $100,000 in rural development grants in 2025