Q & A with Illinois Farm Bureau President

Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson has spent much of this winter addressing the economic, regulatory, and social issues confronting farmers. Some of his thoughts are summarized in a series of three short videos.

First, Nelson believes that as part of the Vision of Illinois Agriculture project, Illinois Farm Bureau has a positive plan for the future of economic well being of Illinois farming.

He also talks about Illinois Farm Bureau's efforts to reconnect farmers to industry and consumers. According to Nelson, IFB's newer position, Director of External Relations, and the Illinois Farm Families project are "trying to bring Illinois agriculture together to have a common message."

Finally, Nelson also tackles the Farm Bill. He says, "Job #1 in farmers' minds is making sure we have a clear safety net. I think we have clear policy to do just that."

Neson credits the member-driven Farm Policy Task Force for flushing out concerns and developing solutions, including environmental issues. "Conservation programs are important and we want to make sure we prioritize those programs in the next Farm Bill. In the Farm Bill debate, we've got to make sure we support the very important programs that our producers want to see."