BY TAMMIE SLOUP
Whether it was in person or through virtual meetings, nine Illinois farmers who visited the nation’s capital to advocate for agriculture recently connected with those in prime positions to move their issues to the forefront.
Illinois Farm Bureau’s Leaders to Washington trip had farmers trekking to Capitol Hill to talk with Illinois’ congressional delegates or meeting with officials from a hotel conference room.
The venue didn’t matter. Having their voices heard is what counted.
“This was a good opportunity to test whether virtual and in-person hybrid meetings can be effective and I think it showed that it can be,” said Adam Nielsen, IFB’s director of national legislation and policy development, adding the hybrid options allowed opportunities to meet with industry representatives typically not part of the trip.
With increased security on Capitol Hill and lingering pandemic issues, the hybrid model for meetings will likely be built into future trips.
“While politics is an in-person business, and being an advocate is an in-person activity, we have demonstrated during COVID that we can use these new tools to be more places in a short period of time,” Nielsen said. “We can cover a lot more meetings, we can hear more perspectives and and still get up to Capitol Hill and walk around and spend some time with our elected officials.”
IFB President Richard Guebert Jr. said the trip affords farmers the opportunity to see “how the sausage is made.
“Legislators, particularly ours in Illinois, appreciate the conversations and the input of what’s going on back home,” Guebert said. “Secondly, it builds relationships with our legislators. And I’ve talked time and time again about how important building relationships with our legislators is; they make the rules and the regulations, and we need to be in lockstep you might say so they know what our feelings truly are and what our policies are. We’re truly a grassroots organization, and this brings it front and center.”
Here’s what some IFB members said of the trip:
• Phil Fuhr, Rock Island County: “I think the legislators and their staffers don’t want to hear from lobbyists all the time. They want to hear from everyday people that have problems and opinions on what’s going on. They want our opinion. They want to know what’s happening in their state, to their constituents.”
• Adam Henkel, Lee County Farm Bureau president: “It’s well worth the time and effort to come out here and get your story out. They (legislators) can hear the same thing over and over again, but when you put a personal spin to it, it’s different.”
• David Schuler, McLean County: “There’s a lot to learn, a lot to do. This is something that should be on everyone’s list to come out and learn and get involved. And if you have questions or you have concerns back home, this is the place to come bring it to and try to get things fixed and moving forward in a positive direction.”
• Katie King, state Young Leader Achievement Subcommittee chair, Sangamon County: “Seeing (legislators) here is a totally different experience than when you visit with them back home. When you’re sitting in their office, seeing the chambers, all of that just makes it totally different than when you visit with them when you’re home.”
During the visit, IFB members met with U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville; Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap; Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and Mary Miller, R-Oakland, in person and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, and Tammy Duckworth, D-Hoffman Estates, virtually. Members also met with staff from the offices of U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline, and Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, as well as a mix of government and industry representatives.
This story was provided by FarmWeekNow.com.