Illinois Farmers Union sets priorities

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Farmers Union members and supporters from across the state convened for the ILFU annual meeting.

Attendees heard agriculture policy updates from state and federal officials, engaged in a food safety discussion through National Farmers Union’s Local Food Safety Collaborative and developed the grassroots policy priorities for ILFU for 2024.

Speakers during the event included USDA Rural Development State Director for Illinois Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, USDA Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Scott Halpin, American Farmland Trust Midwest Director Kristopher Reynolds, Grow Great Englewood Executive Director Anton Seals Jr., and Dave Bishop of PrairiErth Farm.

During the policy deliberation process, ILFU members identified several priorities for 2024, including:

• Competition in the agricultural economy.

• Equitable access to farmland.

• Good stewardship of the environment.

• Community vitality in farming communities, both urban and rural.

ILFU members will have the opportunity in March to participate in NFU’s national convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, where they will share these policy priorities with Farmers Union members from across the country.