Friday, February 01, 2013
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Yesterday, Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) hosted its first-ever SWAT meeting. Members of SWAT, Strength With Advisory Teams, started the day by learning more about their three-part assignment:
Members also learned how their roles as the new go-to people are critical to the success of farm-related legislation and regulations.
"We need people on the ground today who are up to speed on certain issues," IFB President Philip Nelson told the group. "We have to have more voices on the ground trained to respond on issues."
To kick off their efforts, team members received briefings on food production challenges from Rick Siemer of Siemer Milling and Luis Villalobos of Tyson Foods; on pension's impact on the state budget from Rich Miller of Capitol Fax Editor; and on water quality issues from American Farm Bureau Federation's Don Parrish.
Parrish was also an inspiration and hit on the goal for the day as he said, "Do you want to lead or do you want to be led?"
Following the briefings, the members separated into three teams:
In these teams, the groups began phase one - surface emerging issues. At the end of the day, they were assigned with phase two: immersing themselves in the details and parameters of their team's issues. They were asked to share information and seek input from other Farm Bureau members in their counties, too.
Team members and the county Farm Bureaus they represent are as follows:
Conservation and natural resources: Doug Scheider, Stephenson; Lon Lovellette, Grundy; Randy Poskin, Ford-Iroquois, IFB District 6 Director; Dennis Haab, Livingston; Jim Williams, McLean; Dean Doughty, Peoria; Sam Zumwalt, Hancock; David Wessel, Cass-Morgan; Darrel Parish, Macon; Kara Kinney, Douglas County Farm Bureau Manager; Barb Gard, Clark; Brad Hester, Marion; Randy Darr, Macoupin; and Tom Fox, Jackson.
Farming production and marketing: Harry Alten, McHenry; Dale Jackson, Stark; Brad Temple, LaSalle, IFB District 4 Director; Randy Faber, Lee; Glenn Ginder, Will; Krista Swanson, Knox; Bianca Miller, Schuyler; Sara Brockman, Hancock County Farm Bureau Manager; Andy Bolsen, Moultrie; Pat Titus, Douglas; Karl Spencer, Jasper; Edward Marburger, Macoupin; Dean Campbell, Randolph; and Don Ahrens, Gallatin.
Local and state government: Mark Tuttle, DeKalb; Merri Berlage, Jo Daviess; Mike Zecher, Mercer; Ken Beck, LaSalle; Jill Frueh, Bureau County Farm Bureau Manager; Keith Mussman, Kankakee; Fred Meyer, Tazewell; David Serven, Knox, IFB District 8 Director; Andy Sellars, Scott; Mary Liz Wright, Edgar; Norbert Soltwedel, Effingham; Mike Painter, Greene; George Obernagel, Monroe; and David White, Wayne.
In addition to the SWAT teams, a new component this year is the ad hoc advisory groups. The following members were selected to serve in an advisory capacity on specific issues of interest and will provide input as requested by the teams and the organization throughout the year.
Northern Illinois: John Bartman, Gene Boppart, and Chris Dahm, all of McHenry; Berk Boehne, DeKalb; Mike Kenyon, Kane; Bruce Johnson, Stephenson County Farm Bureau Manager; Larry Larson and Gary Shedd, both of Winnebago-Boone; Dwayne Anderson, Deve Detloff, and Steve Weber, all of Henry; Danelle Burrs, Lee County Farm Bureau Manager; Melvin Matter and Monty Whipple, both of LaSalle; Charles Meisenheimer, Bureau; Eleanor Zimmerlein, Lee; Edie Raices, Cook, and Anu Verma, DuPage.
Central Illinois: Jason Bunting, Ray Dieter, Jerry Quick, all of Livingston; David Haase, Ford-Iroquois; Matt Hughes and Darrel Miller, McLean; John Knight, Tazewell; D.J. Wyss, Woodford; Richard Carroll, Peoria; Curt Eisenmayer, Warren-Henderson; David Headley, Fulton; Mike Hennenfent, Rob Link, and Linda Wikoff, all of Knox; Mary Barnes and Brenda Middendorf, both Pike; Kent Prather, Schuyler; Blake Roderick, Pike County Farm Bureau Manager; Luellen Betzelberger, Mason; Allen Entwistle and Andy Goleman, both Sangamon; Len Krusemark, Logan; Terry Ferguson, DeWitt; Jonathon Manuel, Fred Perry, and Stan Sipp, all of Piatt; Emmett Sefton and Greg Webb, both Macon; Joanie Burke, Emily Morehouse, and J.C. Reitmeier, all of Champaign; and Steve Fourez and Kevin Green, both Vermilion.
Southern Illinois: Michael Evans and Rich Ochs, both Jasper; Tony Trimble, Jasper County Farm Bureau Manager; Jarod Hitchings and Earl Sorrells, both Montgomery; Kevin Miller, Effingham; Steve Koeller, Madison; Hugh Moore, Jersey; Larry Johnson, Clinton; Gale Koelling and Steve Launius, both Washington; and Steve Stallman, Randolph.
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