DECATUR, Ill. — Ten agriculture-oriented groups in Illinois are to share a $100,000 commemorative monetary gift cosponsored by First Farm Credit Services and Farm Credit Illinois, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Farm Credit system next year.
Recipients are Illinois FFA, Illinois 4-H, Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom, AgrAbility, Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program, Illinois Agri-Women, Illinois State University’s Department of Agriculture, Southern Illinois University College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and Western Illinois University School of Agriculture.
No spending restrictions are attached to each gift. The recipients were chosen by popular vote at this year’s Farm Progress Show in Decatur on Sept. 1-3, said Karen Blatter, editor of Country Spirit, a quarterly agriculture publication by Farm Credit Services. Attendees at the event had opportunity to designate the dollars by voting for one of the 10 organizations in an electronic survey.
"People were able to come to the show and vote for what organization they wanted the money to go to," she explained. "We’re going to take those votes and find out the percentage cast for each group, and then award them with that percentage from the $100,000. What the four universities will receive from the commemorative gift will be determined by the same percentage votes."
Much interest is being displayed in the commemorative gift by the winners, Blatter noted. "Especially by the smaller groups, who were happy they were even put on the (vote) list. They were pretty honored."
Farm Credit Services has not yet made the final determination from the numbers in the September vote, but expects to have them ready for release by the end of this month. The idea of the monetary commemorative gift came about as the agency prepared for its display at the Farm Progress Show at Decatur, the largest outdoor farm exhibition in the nation.
"It’s kind of a challenge to come up with an event or attraction to get the public to come into the Farm Credit tent at the show," she said, noting the commemorative gift was a good indicator of the organization’s mission to serve the groups that support agriculture.
The actual day of the Farm Services 100th commemoration will be July 17, 2016. Several events leading up to it will precede the celebration; however, no public celebration has been planned at this point.
Gary J. Ash, president and CEO of First Farm Credit Services, was quoted in a summer Country Spirit story as saying the $100,000 investment in Illinois agriculture helps ensure a bright future while celebrating a prosperous past.
Tom Tracy, CEO and president of Farm Credit Illinois, was quoted "that from encouraging the next generation of farmers to helping educate consumers about the importance of agriculture, Farm Credit and these organizations are dedicated to helping farm families succeed."
There are two Farm Credit cooperatives in Illinois – First Farm Credit Services based in Normal, and Farm Credit Illinois based in Mahomet. They collectively serve 22,000 farm families, rural landowners and agribusinesses with more than $8 billion of agricultural financing and 3 million acres of crop insurance coverage. First Farm Credit Services serves the northern 42 counties, and Farm Credit Illinois, the southern 60 counties.
