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Illinois Farm Bureau is mourning the loss of Ryan Whitehouse, the organization's director of national legislation. White...
09/25/2025

Illinois Farm Bureau is mourning the loss of Ryan Whitehouse, the organization's director of national legislation. Whitehouse died Sept. 24 following an accident in Michigan. He was 43.

His death has sent shockwaves throughout the state of Illinois, where he spent his life advocating for others.

“This is a tremendous loss, personally, of an amazing man. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and coworkers,” said IFB President Brian Duncan. “Ryan excelled in everything he did at Illinois Farm Bureau and throughout his work in the Bloomington-Normal community. He leaves a lasting impact and a true legacy of service.”

Whitehouse, who grew up on a farm in Arrowsmith, started working for Illinois Farm Bureau in June 2013 and held various roles on the Governmental Affairs and Commodities team. He worked closely with farmer members across the state and advocated on their behalf at the local and federal levels.

He developed and implemented “Allies in Agriculture,” a local engagement program at Illinois Farm Bureau, with the goal of encouraging our network of county Farm Bureaus to engage with their local elected and appointed officials.

During his 18 months as national director of national legislation, he was instrumental in developing relationships with Illinois’ congressional delegation and staff across the entire state. His keen ability to listen and connect with a wide variety of political opinions is what made him successful in today’s political environment.

Whitehouse also served as chairman of the Connect Transit Board of Trustees, the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council (EDC) and the St. Jude Run/Walk Committee.

Leaders of the EDC and Connect Transit, in a joint statement, described him as a “visionary leader whose dedication to our community and public transit left an indelible mark on Bloomington and Normal.”

The Kimel 4-H Club in Mercer County is celebrating a century of ribbons, projects, meetings and memories. "I think it's ...
09/20/2025

The Kimel 4-H Club in Mercer County is celebrating a century of ribbons, projects, meetings and memories.

"I think it's extremely meaningful for any club or organization or group of volunteers that have committed so much for 100 years — I think that's just absolutely amazing," retired ag teacher Brian Circks says in this week's episode of Vintage Country.

Jim Taylor of the RFD Radio Network takes listeners to Mercer County, where a celebration of the club's centennial was recently held at the fairgrounds.

Meet Louis Barnes, Illinois Farm Bureau's September Actively Engaged Student of the Month.The Pleasant Hill High School ...
09/15/2025

Meet Louis Barnes, Illinois Farm Bureau's September Actively Engaged Student of the Month.

The Pleasant Hill High School junior, multisport athlete and FFA member says he has lots of examples that inspire his service. Outside of school, Barnes is also active with 4-H and the Pike County Fair.

Some of the most inspiring people in his life? His grandparents. His grandmother served on the Pike County Fair Board, prompting his own service there, and his grandfather is a WWII veteran, which has inspired Barnes to also dedicate service to the American Legion Post 1048

"I’m involved because my family has been so involved,“ Barnes tells Jim Taylor of the RFD Radio network. "I think it’s also good to give back to the community in general.”

09/15/2025

David Kohl is bullish on agriculture. The renowned ag economist sits down with Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan for a "hard but hopeful" conversation on the ag economy in the latest episode of Taking Stalk.

Heap's Giant Pumpkin Farm started as a small, front yard project on a 150-year-old farm in Grundy County, but Kevin and ...
09/13/2025

Heap's Giant Pumpkin Farm started as a small, front yard project on a 150-year-old farm in Grundy County, but Kevin and Kaylee Heap had a bigger vision. This year marked 20 years since they started their agritourism farm in Minooka.

In this week's episode of Vintage Country, Kaylee Heap tells RFD Radio's Rita Frazer about the fun times visitors can have at the farm this season — including seeing a new gift from a Minnesota farm family: A 1946 classic red Dodge truck.

On our to-do list this weekend: Visit COUNTRY Financial's corn maze at Rader Family Farms in Normal. 📝🌽After a ribbon-cu...
09/12/2025

On our to-do list this weekend: Visit COUNTRY Financial's corn maze at Rader Family Farms in Normal. 📝🌽

After a ribbon-cutting earlier this week, the 8-acre corn maze officially opens to the public Saturday, Sept. 13.

Whether you wander through an easier version — 20-30 minutes, aimed at being appropriate for children — or the more challenging 45-60 minute route, you'll be walking through a design that celebrates COUNTRY's long relationship with farmers and agriculture.

"The design ... speaks to trust, commitment, relationships and the history — literally I would say it’s woven into the land that COUNTRY has helped protect over all of these years," Donna Verda of Rader Farms told RFD Radio.

More background + if-you-go info at the link in comments ⬇️

Cory Ritter's world turned upside last month when his father, Blue Mound farmer Tom Ritter, died in a grain bin accident...
09/09/2025

Cory Ritter's world turned upside last month when his father, Blue Mound farmer Tom Ritter, died in a grain bin accident.

As he continues the family farm's legacy and prepares for an emotional harvest in Macon County, Ritter says he wants to turn the tragedy into a learning experience and message for other farmers.

“The more you think about (safety precautions) before something happens is the message I want to extend to everyone,” says Ritter, who believes telling his painful story is worth it if it saves even one other person from a tragic outcome.

“I think we all get in a hurry and get very focused. But, until tragedy strikes, that’s when it really puts things in perspective. That 1% of the time something happens can be devastating to a lot of people," Ritter tells FarmWeek.

There's still time to catch the remaining two days of the 35th annual Antique Power Days Tractor Pull in Marion County t...
09/06/2025

There's still time to catch the remaining two days of the 35th annual Antique Power Days Tractor Pull in Marion County this weekend — or listen to RFD Radio's DeLoss Jahnke take you there in this week's Vintage Country.

Jahnke speaks with Jim Sellers, the president of Southern Illinois Antique Power Club, who started out collecting "anything I liked."

"It's a fairly nice tractor show — we'll have anywhere from 200-250 tractors when they all get here," he says.

The show runs through Sunday at the Marion County fairgrounds.

The winner of this year's Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Award has spent five decades helping farmers make more informe...
09/02/2025

The winner of this year's Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Award has spent five decades helping farmers make more informed decisions and becoming a go-to resource for cutting-edge ag technology.

Dennis Bowman, a 14-year CCA board member and a digital agriculture specialist with University of Illinois Extension, is now up for consideration for the International CCA Award.

"CCA is an organization I feel strongly for, and to be recognized for my contributions in this area, I was just really surprised,” Bowman tells FarmWeek. “I know most of the people who have received this in the past, and they’re just amazing folks. So to be considered in that same group is quite an honor.”

Bowman will be honored at Illinois Farm Bureau's Annual Meeting in December, as well as at the Illinois CCA Conference.

Illinois family farms go way back — sometimes way, way, WAY back. That's the case for the Gibbons family farm in Jersey ...
08/30/2025

Illinois family farms go way back — sometimes way, way, WAY back.

That's the case for the Gibbons family farm in Jersey Co. near Brighton, which was established in 1875.

"It all started when an 18-year-old left Ireland, knowing he would never see his parents again, and started farming," Timothy Gibbons tells RFD Radio's Jim Taylor in this week's episode of Vintage Country.

The Gibbons family farm was recently honored by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as a Sesquicentennial Farm under the Illinois Heritage Family Farm Program.

Another Farm Progress Show is in the books ✅Thanks to everyone who came out and visited with Illinois Farm Bureau, COUNT...
08/29/2025

Another Farm Progress Show is in the books ✅

Thanks to everyone who came out and visited with Illinois Farm Bureau, COUNTRY Financial and Prairie Farms Dairy! It was a beautiful week to celebrate all things ag innovation ☀️🌱🌽🚜

Find all of our coverage from this year's show in Monday's edition of FarmWeek, FarmWeekNow.com and RFD Radio's special coverage page (link below).

See you next year!

Happy first day of Farm Progress Show to all who celebrate! It's a beautiful day to kick off the nation's largest outdoo...
08/26/2025

Happy first day of Farm Progress Show to all who celebrate!

It's a beautiful day to kick off the nation's largest outdoor agricultural show in Decatur — and among the many exhibitors to see over the next few days, the IAA family of companies is well-represented.

The Illinois Farm Bureau tent (Space 753) offers a chance to learn about the advantages IFB members have — and grab a free ice cream from Prairie Farms Dairy!

Next door, the celebrations of COUNTRY Financial's (Space 749) centennial continue — and farm financial planners will be available for consultation.

And, as always, FarmWeek reporters and RFD Radio anchors are hard at work gathering information to highlight the news you need to know from this year's show!

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