Erin: WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT
AGRICULTURE IS FOR OUR STATE, SO
I'M WALKING THE CORNFIELD WITH
WYATT WILLIAMSON, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE EDGAR COUNTY
FARM BUREAU.
TELL US WHAT THE FARM BUREAU IS
AND ITS FUNCTION.
Guest: IT WAS STARTED IN
1917 BY A GROUP OF LOCAL FARMERS
THAT WANTED SAY IN ANYTHING FROM
POLICY TO THINGS IN THE LOCAL TO
STATE LEVEL, TO HAVE THEIR
VOICES HEARD WHEN IT COMES TO
AGRICULTURAL ISSUES.
Erin: AS A FARMER AND
FRIENDS WHO ARE FARMERS, HOW HAS
THAT IMPACTED YOU PERSONALLY?
Guest: IT'S MADE A GREAT
IMPACT ON MY LIFE WITH MY JOB.
PROFESSIONALLY, I'VE MET A LOT
OF GREAT PEOPLE, A LOT OF GREAT
FRIENDS THROUGH THIS JOB.
BEFORE I TOOK THIS JOB, GROWING
UP, FARM BUREAU WAS A HUGE PART
OF OUR LIVES AT THE COUNTY FAIR,
THINGS LIKE THAT T IT'S BEEN
GREAT.
I CAN'T WAIT TO KEEP MOVING
FORWARD WITH THIS.
Erin: HERE IN OUR TOWN
PARIS, THE FARM BUREAU IS
INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY A LOT
OF WAYS.
TELL ME A FEW.
Guest: ONE OF THE BIGGEST
WAYS IS TASTE OF EDGAR COUNTY
THAT HAPPENS EACH SPRING THAT
SHOWCASES FARMERS, OUR FARMERS'
MARKETS AS WELL AND RAISES MONEY
FOR AG IN THE CLASSROOM
FOUNDATION.
THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN EDGAR
COUNTY TO CONTINUE THE CONSUMER
AND AG EDUCATION.
Erin: AND THE FARMERS MARKET
IS A BIG DEAL.
Guest: ABSOLUTELY!
8:00 TO 11:00 EVERY SATURDAY ON
THE SQUARE IN PARIS.
WE'VE GOT ARTS, CRAFTS, BREADS,
JELLIES, JAMS.
IT'S FANTASTIC WITH A LOT OF
FOOD PEOPLE THERE.
MENT
Erin: HOW DOES THE FARM
BUREAU TIE INTO THE FARMERS'
MARKET?
WHAT INVOLVEMENT DO YOU HAVE IN
THAT?
Guest: WE HELP PROMOTE IT
AND ORGANIZE THE VENDORS THAT
COME AND GIVE THEM THE LAY OF
THE LAND.
THINGS LIKE THAT.
A COUPLE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS OF
INVOLVED.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BOOTH SET
UP.
IF I'M NOT THERE, THEY'RE A
HELP.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE
PEOPLE TO ADD TO IT.
Erin: SPEAKING OF THAT,
LET'S TALK MEMBERSHIP.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST BE A
FARMER TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE
FARM BUREAU.
WHO CAN JOIN AND HOW?
Guest: ANYBODY CAN JOIN.
YOU CAN JOIN AS AN AIDE THROUGH
OUR COUNTRY INSURANCE, WHICH IS
ONE OF OUR AFFILIATES OR OUR NEW
PROGRAM IS THE PROFESSIONAL
MEMBERSHIP.
AND THAT OPENS IT UP TO ANYBODY
FROM A CHEF WHO USES LOCAL
INGREDIENTS TO A FARMER, TO
PEOPLE WHO WORK AT COOPS IN THE
TOWN OR OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
NETWORK.
WE'RE WORKING ON DIFFERENT
EVENTS DIRECTED TOWARDS
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY
NET WORKING EVENTS.
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT A FARMER,
DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE A
SAY.
AND IN THIS EVER-CHANGING
ECONOMY AND WORLD, WE DEFINITELY
THINK THAT THOSE ARE MEMBERS
THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WITH US.
Erin: LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT
THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY
INTERESTING.
PEOPLE ASSUME FARMING IS ONE
THING.
YET IN 2020, WE SEE THERE'S A
GLI
GAZILLION WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
FROM FAMILY TO TABLE TO PEOPLE
WHO OWN CO-OPES.
WHY IS THE FARM BUREAU TAKING IT
THAT DIRECTION WITH YOUNGER
PEOPLE WITH NEW IDEAS?
Guest: AN ORGANIZATION IS
ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS MEMBERS.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE
OLDER MEMBERS HAVE DONE, BUT THE
AVERAGE AGE OF THE FARMER IS
DOING NOTHING BUT GOING UP.
WITH THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT AS
IT IS, WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO INCORPORATE MORE AND MORE OF
THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE YOUNG
LEADERS ESPECIALLY.
IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM WE HAVE
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WE'VE GOT WELL OVER I BELIEVE
OVER 500 THAT SHOWS UP FOR OUR
YOUNG LEADERS CONFERENCE EVERY
JANUARY IN PEORIA.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A
VOICE REGARDLESS AND HAVE ROOM
TO PUSH ONTO THEIR LOCAL COUNTY
BOARDS AND EVEN THE STATE BOARDS
IN THE FUTURE.
Erin: THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US.
BEAUTIFUL DAY ON THE FARM IN OUR
TOWN PARIS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
EDGAR COUNTY FARM BUREAU AND
INFORMATION HOW TO GET INVOLVED,
WE'VE GOT YOU GUYS CONNECTED
ONLINE AT www.CILiving.tv.