Organization and Mission
IFB is involved in passing legislation and lobbying lawmakers about agricultural issues, and county farm bureaus provide a professional staff in accessible locations around the state. Together, IFB and the county organizations were instrumental in bringing soil and crop specialists to each county. These professional farm advisers were the forerunners of today’s cooperative extension service. They help supply farmers with the latest agricultural research information and make on-the-farm analyses and recommendations about production challenges.
IFB’s stated mission is to improve the economic well-being of agriculture and enrich the quality of farm family life. The organization focuses on these areas:
- Operating the farm successfully
- Service to members
- Government and politics
- Education and information
- Professional development
- Operating IFB professionally
IFB attempts to:
- Tell the farmer’s story to the public
- Update members on new technology and information that impacts agriculture
- Represent farmers in local, state, and national legislative and political activities
- Provide marketing and education services to help IFB members improve their net farm income
IFB has been criticized as too dominated by large agribusiness operations and unresponsive to environmental concerns about pesticide use, water quality and other issues. IFB is also known for its historical association with State Farm, the largest personal lines insurer in the United States. The organization is governed by a twenty-member board of directors who are elected to two-year terms; the president and vice-president of IFB are also elected every two years. IFB’s state office is located in Bloomington, Illinois.
Read more about this topic: Illinois Farm Bureau
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