ICGA leaders elected

In November, Martin Marr, Jacksonville, Ill., farmer and 2019 Master Farmer, was elected as the 2021-22 Illinois Corn Growers Association president.

Marr has been a member of the ICGA board for eight years, including his time as vice president. Besides his current role of president, Marr will continue serving as the District 10 director, representing farmers in Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Morgan, Sangamon and Scott counties.

Other ICGA officers were elected:

The following directors were elected or re-elected to the board:

Expand your knowledge this winter

From now until April, University of Illinois Extension will be hosting winter workshops online and around the state to help producers broaden their knowledge in topics such as agriculture, environment, specialty crops, local foods, horticulture and safety.

Mark your calendars for the following workshops:

Field crop production

Livestock production

Forestry and trees

Health and safety

Horticulture

Specialty crop production

Environment

Visit the U of I Extension website for more details, contact information, attendance fees and to register.

Scott Halpin named USDA FSA state executive director

In December, President Joe Biden selected Scott Halpin, South Wilmington, Ill., as USDA Farm Service Agency Illinois state executive director.

With his parents and brother, Halpin owns and operates Halpin Farms Cattle and Halpin Farms, a corn, soybean, hay and silage operation. On the farm, Halpin has used conservation management so milkweed can grow in non-crop areas. This effort helps support the monarch butterfly population as well as conservation measures for on-farm pollinator habitats.

“Having served with him in his roles as president of Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau and as an Illinois Farm Bureau director, I can say that Scott is an excellent, thoughtful leader who is the right person to lead the state FSA,” says Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr.

Halpin has also served as Illinois Farm Bureau member services and public relations committee chairman.

Todd Lowery to lead Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation

In December, Todd Lowrey was selected as the new Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation president and CEO.

Lowrey replaces Lee Strom, who held the role as IALF president and CEO until September. At that time, he transitioned into a role with Open Prairie, a private equity fund management firm.

Lowrey is no stranger to IALF, as he began his career with the organization in 2016. For two years he served as the advanced leadership and alumni relations director. Then in 2018 he was selected IALF flagship leadership program director.

“Since joining the IALF in 2016, Mr. Lowery has demonstrated his dedication and professionalism to our organization,” says IALF Board Chair Dan Kelley. “His experience in alumni relations, education programming, fundraising and knowledge of the IALF will serve the foundation well.”

In his new role, Lowrey will lead IALF and the leadership program with the direction of the IALF board of directors.

Lowrey says he is honored to be chosen to lead IALF. He looks forward to working with individuals involved with the organization and helping continue the mission of developing agricultural leaders.

Pandemic assistance for hog producers

USDA has announced the Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP), a financial assistance program for hog producers who faced a reduction in market prices during the pandemic. The program is a part of the USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.

Here’s what you need to know about SMHPP before applying:

To apply, visit the USDA website. Mail, fax, hand deliver or electronically send your application to your local FSA office before Feb. 25.

Get certified, livestock managers

Together, the Illinois Department of Agriculture and University of Illinois Extension are hosting Certified Livestock Manager Training and Testing Workshops in January and February.

The workshops are designed to help Illinois livestock producers meet the following requirements of the Livestock Management Facilities Act of 1997:

Online and in-person training and exams will be available. For the first time, the CLM exam will be available in Spanish. Producers must score a 70% on the exam to pass.

The following in-person workshops are available:

All workshops will begin at 9 a.m., except for the session held on Feb. 23. This workshop will be held during the Illinois Pork Expo and will begin at noon. Training lasts 3.5 hours, and employees at facilities with more than 1,000 animals must take an in-person exam. A training manual can also be found online.

To attend in-person training, you must register online. Registration opens one month before the workshop date and attendance may be limited — so register early. All attendees must wear a mask and follow COVID-19 safety measures.

If you can’t make an in-person workshop, participate online. Create an account on the U of I website to access online training. Online training consists of nine modules to be taken at the individual’s pace. Again, if employees work at a facility with 1,000 animals, they must take an online exam.

The U of I Extension fee for in-person or online training is $40, and the IDOA certification fee is $30.