Young Leaders

Four members with outstanding projects that include cattle, flowers, sheep, auctioneering and hay production were presented the prestigious star awards during the 97th Illinois FFA State Convention.

The class of 2025 Farm Credit agriculture scholars was recognized during a scholarship luncheon at Carriage House Event Center in Altamont.

It took just short of four weeks for Dan Parker to finally get the last seed in the ground.

Delegates wrote history at the 97th Illinois FFA State Convention with the vote to add a sentinel to the FFA officer team that now includes six members.

Illinois AgriNews presented the Outstanding Section Reporter awards to four members during the 97th Illinois FFA State Convention.

The 2025 Indiana FFA State Convention will be held June 16-19 at Purdue University.

Earlier this winter while attending a farm show sponsored by a local radio station that carries Brownfield programming, a listener shared with me a poem, “Sermons We See,” by Edgar A. Guest.

Compeer Financial announced 22 middle and high schools across Illinois will receive up to $4,000 each to support agricultural education programs and equipment through its Agriculture Education and Classroom Equipment Grant Program.

Illinois FFA state proficiency winners are selected based on FFA members’ outstanding skills in recordkeeping, leadership and scholastic achievement.

Exceptional projects of FFA members from across the state will be highlighted during the 97th annual Illinois FFA State Convention set for June 10-12.

These students have been selected district winners for the Star in Agriscience award after an extensive process of evaluating the students and their record books.

The Star in Agricultural Placement award will be presented during the Stars Over Illinois ceremony on Wednesday, June11.

The winner of the Star in Agribusiness award will be announced during the Wednesday afternoon session of the Illinois FFA State Convention starting at 2 p.m.

Five district winners for the Star Farmer award will be honored on the stage of the Illinois FFA State Convention.

The countdown to the 97th Illinois State FFA Convention continues, along with practices to perfect every skit, speech and stage cue.

Ten students were recently named Illinois FFA Top 10 Chapter Presidents in recognition of excelling in their role as an FFA president.

Illinois FFA chapters and collegiate Farm Bureaus proudly raised a total of 206,084.37 pounds of food, volunteered 7,482.75 hours and donated $54,897.42 during the 2024-2025 Harvest for All campaign.

For several years, I have used this column to offer up some nuggets of advice for those newly minted graduates and others willing to accept it.

I’ve sat in my fair share of coffee shops, airplane terminals, restaurants, FFA chapters and convention halls this year, and it has continued to remind me that we find joy in the people around us.

Top-performing and innovative FFA section presidents and 4-H members cultivated necessary leadership and professional skills during the Youth Education in Agriculture Committee’s recently held Premier 20 Leadership Conference.

Illinois Farm Bureau named Southern Illinois University Collegiate Farm Bureau as the Outstanding Collegiate Farm Bureau Chapter for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced that applications are open for three unique internship experiences for the fall 2025 semester.

A lot of growth has occurred in the agricultural department at Peotone High School since Abby Cowger started teaching and advising the FFA chapter in 2018.

As the 58th World Dairy Expo approaches, the event is searching for college students passionate about the dairy industry to be part of the 2025 media team.

Seven Heartland Community College students placed in a national competition to demonstrate agribusiness skills.

Rebekah Peterson’s students describe her teaching style as enthusiastic, hands-on and engaging.

Golden Owl Award finalist Kenna Slough was inspired to be an agricultural educator for a combination of reasons.

Students at Grant Park learned how to “bend don’t break” during a project developed by the Grant Park FFA Chapter that focused on mental health.

Chris Kaufman has been teaching agriculture for 24 years, but he remembers when life looked very different.

To McCord Snider, FFA is not just a club, organization or another group at school.

Students at the Hinckley-Big Rock Middle School are learning about a wide variety of agricultural-related topics through three new classes added to the curriculum this year.

The Indiana Senate passed Senate Resolution 36, recognizing the importance of Purdue Extension’s Community Leadership Program.

Two weeks ago, I was playing basketball and trying to dunk on a slightly wet court when I fell and hurt my wrist.

On any given day, Dan Parker could be advocating for agriculture with legislators, helping his daughters with 4-H projects, supporting the local FFA chapter, selling seed, or working on the farm.

As more than 1,000 FFA members and their teachers visited the Statehouse, a longtime advocate for those wearing the blue jackets reminisced about how the organization impacted his life.

March went in — and out — like a lion. Several state contests take place in spring, such as the recent dairy cattle and food science career development events, with many more on the calendar.

Twenty-five Illinois Farm Bureau members recently graduated from the Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow, an extensive leadership development program designed to help participants develop leadership and advocacy skills and to become a voice for Illinois agriculture.

Grass will be ready for turnout soon. It is hard to hold out, but so important to give grass a fair start.

If you ask most working adults about their required annual certification processes, you may get an eye roll with their response.

Merck Animal Health announced it will donate $50,000 to the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization to support its newly established Educational Advancement Program.

A team of students from Purdue University earned $20,000 for creating SoyShield — an alternative to plastic wrap designed to be used in laboratories to seal chemical containers.

Soy Straws, a lightweight, shelf-stable snack, earned the $5,000 top prize in the first-ever Student Soy Food Competition at the 31st annual Student Soybean Innovation Competition.

American Farmland Trust focuses on protecting farmland, keeping farmers on the land and promoting sound farming practices.

It’s now March of my National FFA president year, and I have a lot to catch you up on. There’s been a whole lot of delayed flights, late nights, a few times where it’s gone wrong and a few times where it’s gone right.

Purina Animal Nutrition, along with the Land O’Lakes Foundation, has reopened its annual scholarship program designed to assist students with experience in livestock production and animal stewardship in pursuing their passions and furthering their education.

High school and college ladies spent a day learning about career opportunities directly from women working in numerous types of agricultural-related jobs.

Attending the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event at Southern Illinois University provided Suma Dommati the opportunity to continue to build her agricultural network.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Women in Agribusiness Student Scholarship Award.

More than 2,400 students attended a virtual field trip to a dairy farm during National School Breakfast Week.

The All-Breed Classic Open Horse Show will be a must-see event Aug. 1-3 at the Lake County Fair.