McLean County Farm Bureau

Labor Day - Office Closed
2023-09-04

ISU Ag Day
2023-09-02 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Hancock Stadium, N Main St, Normal, IL, 61761, United States
Illinois State University Ag Alumni invite you to the Ag Day Football Game September 2 at Hancock Stadium.
Ag Day apparel can be ordered online by Aug. 9.
More Info

Ag Breakfast Bites
2023-08-31 08:00 - 09:30 | Illinois State University Alumi Center, 1101 N Main St, Normal, IL, 61761, United States
Get the essentials to fuel your success at Ag Bites – breakfast, networking & a look at key issues in agriculture.
Join us Aug. 31 at the ISU Alumni Center in Normal.

8 – Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – Program

Speaker: Heather Thompson, Director of Innovation, GROWMARK
Ag Bites is geared for Farm Bureau Professional & Voting members.
Registration deadline Aug. 30.

Prime Timers
2023-08-24 11:30 - 14:30
Prime Timers will meet Thursday, August 24 at 11:30 a.m. the McLean County Farm Bureau Office, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington.

Lunch will be available for $5 per person (boxed lunch from Jason’s Deli). Reservations for lunch are required by August 22.
Speaker: Kiel Nowers, Sergeant, Bloomington Police
Topic: Protecting Yourself from Scams
The Prime Timers group is geared for any Farm Bureau members of retirement age.

Ag After Hours: IL Soybean Association
2023-08-16 17:30 - 19:30 | IL Soybea, 1108 Trinity Lane, Bloomington, IL, 61704, United States
Join McLean County Farm Bureau Young Leaders for a tour of the IL Soybean Association offices and hear the latest in market development & communication efforts.

5:30 p.m. – Meet & tour IL Soy office
6 p.m.

Eileen Urish, International Markets Manager
Claire Weinzierl, Communications Manager

6:30 p.m. – Drinks & Appetizers at Crafted Commons

Please RSVP by Aug. 15.

Landowner Utility, Energy & Carbon Meeting
2023-08-14 18:30 - 20:00 | McLean County Farm Bureau, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Join us for a look at utility, energy and carbon sequestration projects with an informational meeting for landowners to be held Mon., Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Illinois Farm Bureau staff Laura Harmon, attorney and Bill Bodine, Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs will provide an overview items to consider before signing a legal document that affects your property.
Topics covered at the meeting will include:

Wind/Solar Leases/Easements
Agriculture Impact Mitigation Agreements
Carbon Sequestration & Pipelines
Transmission Lines
Condemnation/Eminent Domain
Broadband/Fiber projects

A number of wind, solar and carbon sequestration projects are soliciting landowners in various areas of the county.
A major transmission line project could impact landowners in Danvers, Allin, Dry Grove, Dale and Bloomington townships. The line is proposed along existing right of way in Old Town, Dawson, Arrowsmith and Cheney’s Grove. For more information, click here.

2023 McLean County Fair
2023-07-26 - 2023-07-30 | McLean County Fairgrounds, 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Admission Tickets/Specials

Carnival Info/Prices

McLean County 4-H

4-H Show Schedule

Grandstand Line-up

Wednesday – Tobin’s Pizza Big Smokers Tractor Pull and local Pickup Truck Pull-Offs a 6 PM
Friday – “YaBud” Country Music Night, featuring Dylan Scott at 7 PM
Saturday – Don Owen Tire and Auto Demolition Derby at 7 PM

Get Tickets

HogWild 5K Race & 2K Walk
2023-07-23 08:00 - 10:00 | McLean County Fairgrounds, 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Run or walk in, around and through the fairgrounds July 23 with the 5K run or 2K walk. Plus enjoy a delicious porkburger after the race! Race time 8 a.m.

Early bird registration by June 23:

5K race – $25
2K walk – $20
Includes t-shirt, good bag & 4 McLean County Fair admission tickets

Late registration (June 24 or later)

5K race – $30
2K walk – $25
Includes t-shirt, good bag & 4 McLean County Fair admission tickets

All proceeds support McLean County youth and the educational efforts of McLean County Fair!

MCFB Foundation Golf Outing
2023-07-17 09:30 - 14:30 | The Den Golf Course, 3002 Fox Creek Rd, Bloomington, IL, 61705
Hit the links & help raise funds to support local agricultural education!

Monday, July 17
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Cost: $90 per golfer or $360 per foursome
Includes golf cart, 18 holes of golf, lunch, snacks and ribeye dinner!
Plus raffles, contests & prizes
Location: The Den Golf Course, Bloomington
You can also join us for the ribeye dinner for just $20!

YL Night at the CornBelters
2023-07-13 17:00 - 21:00 | Corncrib
Join us for a night at the ballpark & watch the CornBelter’s game from the IL Corn Grower’s Suite. Kids & families welcome!
The game is a double-header starting at 5 p.m. – feel free to arrive later & leave when you need to.
$5 per person & includes supper!

Members Night Out
2023-07-08 17:00 - 20:00
Join us for a casual evening at the West Expo, McLean County Fairgrounds from 5-8 pm. Family friendly event for Farm Bureau members & all ages are welcome!

FREE meal featuring award-winning A-Train porkchops!
Food service starts at 5:30 p.m.
Cash bar
Bingo games, prize drawings & more!

Independence Day - Office Closed
2023-07-04

District YL Event @ Peoria Chiefs
2023-06-30 17:30 - 21:00 | Peoria Chiefs, 730 SW Jefferson Ave, Peoria, IL, 61605, United States
Take your family out to the ballgame & network with other Young Leaders from Central Illinois!
Peoria Chiefs, on Friday, June 30. Gates open at 5:35 p.m. for the 6:35 game.
Tickets are FREE! Family friendly & kids are welcome (ages 2 & younger do not need a ticket).

District 7 & 8 are teaming up for this event – which includes Young Leaders from Warren-Henderson, Knox, Fulton, Peoria, Woodford, Tazewell, McLean & Marshall-Putnam county Farm Bureaus.

Ag History Bus Tour
2023-06-24 08:00 - 12:30
Explore McLean County’s agricultural roots with a morning bus tour lead by local ag historian, Don Meyer, Sat., June 24.Tour participants should meet at the McLean County Farm Bureau building at 8 a.m. and the trip will conclude at about 12:30 p.m.
The cost for McLean County Farm Bureau members is $25 per person and non-members is $35 per person. Breakfast pastries and coffee will be available at 7:45 a.m. Bottled water will be available on the bus.
The narrated tour will primarily be on the bus, with one or two brief stops and minimal walking.
The tour will feature sites in southwestern McLean County in and around Stanford, Danvers, McLean and Funk’s Grove including:

A tile factory site
Cracker Jack crib
Moore’s Mill
Ghost Towns
Funk’s Grove church & cemetery & much more!

A minimum of 30 participants must be registered by June 15 for the tour to be held.

Prime Timers
2023-06-22 11:30 - 13:30 | McLean County Farm Bureau, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Prime Timers will meet Thursday, June 22 at 11:30 a.m. the McLean County Farm Bureau Office, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington.

Lunch will be available for $5 per person (boxed lunch from Jason’s Deli). Reservations for lunch are required by June 20.
Speaker will be Beth Clark, Illinois State University student from Lexington
Topic: Agriculture in Mexico
The Prime Timers group is geared for any Farm Bureau members of retirement age.

MCFB Board Meeting
2023-06-20, 2023-03-21

Golden Clover Nomination Deadline
2023-06-01
Know an outstanding 4-H Club or McLean County Fair volunteer? Nominate them to receive a Golden Clover Award! Deadline is June 1, 2023.
Golden Clover Awards recognize individuals for outstanding service to 4-H and the McLean County Fair. Awards are given in these categories:

Golden Clover – volunteer of retirement age
Emerald Clover – deceased person who has not previously received a Golden Clover
Special Clover – Extension or fair staff of retirement age

Click here for the Nomination Form
Click Here for list of Past Winner

Memorial Day - Office Closed
2023-05-29

Prime Timers
2023-04-27 11:30 - 13:30 | McLean County Farm Bureau, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Prime Timers will meet Thursday, April 27 at 11:30 a.m. the McLean County Farm Bureau Office, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington.

Lunch will be available for $5 per person (pasta/salad from Avanti’s). Reservations for lunch are required by April 25.

Guest Speaker will be Don Meyer.
The Prime Timers group is geared for any Farm Bureau members of retirement age.

Office Closed - Good Friday
2023-04-07

Go Vote - Election Day
2023-04-04 06:00 - 19:00
2023 Consolidated Election
What’s on the ballot?

Municipal – village board/city council
School board
Special purpose districts like library boards & park districts

2 Referenda (for voters in certain districts)

Bloomington Township Fire Protection – Special Tax to Provide Ambulance Service Click here to read the full resolution
CUSD #5 – Proposition to Increase Maximum Annual Educational Tax Rate Click here to read the full resolution

3 Ways to Cast Your Ballot

Vote by Mail: Request a mail-in ballot by March 30 Click here for details
Vote Early: Feb. 23 – April 3 at the McLean County Government Center Click here for hours
Vote on Election Day – April 4: polls open 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. Click here to find your polling place

Find more information at mcfb.org/vote

National Ag Day
2023-03-21

Rules for the Road - Roanoke
2023-03-07 18:00 - 19:30 | Roanoke Farmers Association, 1861 State Route116, Roanoke, IL, 61561, United States
Get the latest on transportation rules and regulations for Illinois farmers with the Rules for the Road program – dates & locations listed below. The March 1 program will also be offered virtually.

March 1 at 6 p.m. – Macon County
March 7 at 9 a.m. – Ford-Iroquois County
March 7 at 6 p.m. – Woodford County

Rules for the Road - Gilman
2023-03-07 09:00 - 10:30 | Ford-Iroquois County Farm Bureau, 1381 S Crescent Street, Gilman, IL, 60938, United States

Landowner 201 - Agronomy & Soil Health
2023-03-02 18:30 - 20:00 | McLean County Farm Bureau, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Expand your understanding & skills for managing your farmland the Landowner 201 series.
March 2 – Agronomy & Soil Health

Instructor: Don Meyer
Topics include: Agronomic & Conservation Practices, h, ataatSeed & Precision Ag Technologies

Landowner 201 is a series of 3 classes:

Feb. 16 – Farm Management & Financial Analysis
Feb. 23 – Farm Transition Planning
March 2 – Agronomy & Soil Health

Each class will run from 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Registration costs:

Farm Bureau member fee (per farm): $20 per class or $50 for all three
Non-member registration fee (per farm): $25 per class or $65 for all three

More than one person per family/farm can attend the classes. A virtual option will also be available and the sessions will also be available online for viewing later.
Landowner 201 is geared for farmland owners who cash rent, crop share or have a custom farming arrangement. The classes will offer more advanced information than the Landowner 101 series, but past participation is not a prerequisite to register for the 201 classes.

Rules for the Road - Decatur
2023-03-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Richland Community College, 1 College Park, Decatur, IL, 62521, United States

MCFB Foundation Trivia Night
2023-02-25 17:30 - 21:30 | McLean County Fairgrounds, 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
On your mark, get set & join us for our 2023 Trivia Night – Saturday, February 25!
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. & trivia starts at 6:30 p.m. $160 per team of up to 8 people.
Team spirit theme: Sports – celebrate your favorite local, college or professional team/athletes!
Pizza provided, plus cash bar, silent auction, raffles & prizes!
All proceeds benefit local Ag in the Classroom programs, scholarships & grants!

Landowner 201 - Farm Transition Planning
2023-02-23 18:30 - 20:00 | McLean County Farm Bureau, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Expand your understanding & skills for managing your farmland the Landowner 201 series.
Feb. 23 – Farm Transition Planning

Instructor: Chad Ritchie, Ritchie Law Office, Ltd & Jack Rich, FBFM
Topics include: Family Business Conversations, Succession & Estate Planning

Landowner 201 is a series of 3 classes:

Feb. 16 – Farm Management & Financial Analysis
Feb. 23 – Farm Transition Planning
March 2 – Agronomy & Soil Health

Each class will run from 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Registration costs:

Farm Bureau member fee (per farm): $20 per class or $50 for all three
Non-member registration fee (per farm): $25 per class or $65 for all three

More than one person per family/farm can attend the classes. A virtual option will also be available and the sessions will also be available online for viewing later.
Landowner 201 is geared for farmland owners who cash rent, crop share or have a custom farming arrangement. The classes will offer more advanced information than the Landowner 101 series, but past participation is not a prerequisite to register for the 201 classes.

Prime Timers Meeting
2023-02-23 11:30 - 13:00 | McLean County Farm Bureau, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington, IL, 61705, United States
Prime Timers will meet Thursday, February 23 at 11:30 a.m. the McLean County Farm Bureau Office, 2242 Westgate Drive, Bloomington.

Lunch will be available for $5 per person. Reservations for lunch are required by Feb. 21.

Topic will be Heart Health Month.
The Prime Timers group is geared for any Farm Bureau members of retirement age.
