Rich Guebert Jr. was reelected to a fifth and final two-year term during the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Chicago. (Illinois Farm Bureau photo)

This week’s column is entirely devoted to a wrap-up of the Illinois Farm Bureau 2021 Annual Meeting, held Dec. 4-7 at the Chicago Palmer House (and virtually). Highlights included the reelection of Richard Guebert Jr. as IFB President and an inspirational keynote address by American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.

Guebert elected to final term

CHICAGO — Richard Guebert, Jr., a farmer from southern Illinois, was reelected as Illinois Farm Bureau president during the organization’s annual meeting. “It’s my honor and my privilege to serve for the last two years this term as president of this organization,” Guebert said, “and I commit that I will continue to do my utmost to work hard, support and defend the policy not only here in the state of Illinois, but in Washington D.C. and across this country.”

First elected as IFB president in 2013, the Randolph County farmer will begin his fifth and final term as leader after previously serving as vice president. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside Brian Duncan in the policy development process throughout the state of Illinois going forward,” Guebert said during a post-meeting press conference.

Duvall offers inspirational message, announces nuptials

CHICAGO — During his keynote speech at the Illinois Farm Bureau’s 2021 Annual Meeting in Chicago, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall delivered an inspirational, emotional speech to county delegates, young leaders and others in a live and virtual format. Here is the closing of Duvall’s speech, in which he announced his upcoming wedding and called on youth in agriculture to represent their industry proudly and faithfully:

“We’re all farmers, and we all plant seeds. They may be in the ground, or they may be faithful seeds that our God expects us to plant. I ask myself a lot of times, what kinds of seeds are you planting, spiritually? When you go to the store or to the office and you meet people, what kinds of seeds are you planting? Are they the seeds of happiness or sadness, young people? Are you planting seeds of success or failure? Are you planting seeds of opportunity or challenges? Hope or despair?

“I don’t know about you, but I choose to plant the seed of hope. Life is hard sometimes, and it throws you curves. It threw me a curve. It took the love of my life away from me, and I thought I would never love again. But I am standing here to witness to you that God is good. I miss Bonnie every day, but God sent another woman into my life, and in two weeks we’ll be married.

“When you think things can’t get any worse, God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 ‘I declare to you that my plan is to prosper you, not to harm you. My plan is to give you hope and a future.’ That verse became very real in my life. If I ever questioned that before I don’t anymore.

“But when you get outside of my faith, do you know why I have hope? I have hope because of you. The farmers and ranchers of this country have overcome all the things that nature can throw at us, and now we’ve overcome a pandemic. I have hope for the farm bureau, and I have hope for our country, and I have hope for our industry because we are Americans, (from) the strongest country on earth because of you. Thank you for the honor and privilege of serving as your president and for getting up in the morning and doing it again and again. Bless You.”

In this old farm reporter’s humble opinion, speeches don’t get much more heartfelt than that.

Erickson takes highest IFB honor

CHICAGO — David Erickson, a Knox County farmer who has accepted many leadership roles in agriculture throughout his distinguished career, was awarded the 2021 IFB Charles B. Shuman Distinguished Service Award. It is the IFB’s highest honor. Erickson is best known for his leadership roles in agricultural associations at both the state and national level, including the IFB. He served as vice president of the organization from 2014-17.

Prior to his election as IFB vice president, Erickson served on the Knox County Farm Bureau board of directors from 2009-14, and as president from 2012-14. Additionally, he has been involved with the Illinois FFA as secretary-treasurer and as chairman of the Illinois FFA Foundation. Erickson has also been involved in leadership at the national level, serving as president and chairman of the board of directors for the American Soybean Association. He has also served as president of the Illinois Soybean Association. (IFB news release)

Young leaders celebrated at IFB meeting

CHICAGO — Along with setting policy, the acknowledgement of young leaders in agriculture is a mainstay of the IFB annual meeting, and this year was no exception. The 2021 County Young Leader Awards program highlighted the hard work and dedication of Young Leaders and county farm bureaus across the state, including community projects and member engagement efforts. Awards included County Activities of Excellence, the Top County Young Leader Chair Award, Friends of Young Leaders, Top Young Leader Membership Recruiter and Young Leader FB ACT Winner.

“This recognition program shows only a fraction of all that our Young Leaders do to support their communities,” said IFB Member Engagement Manager Jenny Webb. “It’s a great opportunity to come together to show our appreciation for all that they do throughout the year and hopefully spark new ideas for others to execute in the future.”

In addition, Nowell Moore of Woodford County was named the 2021 Young Leader Discussion Meet winner at the Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader Discussion Meet. Also, Carroll County Farm Bureau Young Leaders were recognized for donations to address food insecurity made as part of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s national Harvest for All program. Carroll County Farm Bureau Manager Chas Welch said a tight-knit group of Young Leaders and generous farmers contributed to their strong showing.

“You don’t have to be big to accomplish great things,” Welch said about her county of 15,000 residents.

Illinois Farm Fact:

The Fellowship of Christian Farmers is planning disaster relief trips to the Mayfield, Kentucky area, with area leader Mike Weaver of southern Illinois. To help, contact Weaver at 618-499-1386.

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