McLean County Farm Bureau members, Oliver Kragelund and Matt Miller, completed Illinois Farm Bureau’s 2026 Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT) program in March. “The ALOT program has been valuable to me both personally and professionally, providing a deeper understanding of leadership while staying grounded in the realities of agriculture today,” Miller said. “I appreciated how the program connected leadership development with real‑world agricultural issues, allowing participants to learn from experienced speakers while building meaningful relationships

McLean County Farm Bureau board member, Austin Baer, visited with members of Congress and policy makers during the IL Farm Bureau Leaders to Washington trip March 17-18, 2026. Discussions focused on farm economic issues including commodity prices, input costs, trade, transportation, inland waterways infrastructure, and the Farm Bill. The group of nine IFB members met with legislators, USDA, EPA, Department of Health and Human Services, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative and visited the

McLean Farm Bureau members learned how to harness the power of grassroots advocacy during the organization’s annual Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference (GALC), held Feb. 17 in Springfield. Centered on the theme “The Power of Grassroots,” this year’s conference highlighted the impact of member voices shaping policy at every level. Local, state political leaders and legislators met with Farm Bureau leaders from across the state, including 8 members of McLean County, to discuss IFB’s 2026 legislative

FFA Acquaintance Day brought more than 180 sophomores from nine local high schools to the McLean County Fairgrounds. The FFA members explored agricultural careers, gained team working experience and learned about McLean County Farm Bureau and affiliated companies. University of Illinois Extension staff from 4-H Memorial Camp and the local Extension unit office facilitated team building activities. Ag professionals showcased a range of career opportunities in agriculture, including staff from Illinois Farm Bureau, COUNTRY Financial,

McLean County Farm Bureau is investing nearly $20,000 in local agricultural education efforts through the FFA Capital Grant program to help grow capacity for hands-on learning. Ridgeview FFA and Olympia FFA received grant funding in 2025, $4,978 and $15,000, respectively. “We’re happy to help our local high school agricultural education programs upgrade their equipment and facilities,” says Brian Dirks, McLean County Farm Bureau President. “The goal of the McLean County Farm Bureau FFA Capital Grant