Franklin County Farm Bureau News

By J. Larry Miller

I keep believing that spring should arrive any day now. I am like a child looking out the window for the arrival of green grass and warm days. The reason is that I am close to running out of hay and it is hard to find any for sale and my cows would appreciate something tasty like green grass. It will happen because it always does about this time every year.

Larry Miller, executive director Franklin County Farm Bureau

Farmers from throughout Southern Illinois met on Monday in Marion for a Legislative Breakfast. State and Federal legislators and representatives updated those present on issues from the state budgets to the passage of the farm bill. These types of meetings allow us an opportunity to share Farm Bureau’s position on various topics. There were about 50 in attendance.

Speaking of state legislation, the Illinois Farm Bureau has policy that is in opposition of the Same-Sex Marriage Act. Some of our members have been unhappy with the silence that has existed about action on this issue. I have talked with our lobbyists and they have told me that every state legislator has been made aware of Farm Bureau’s opposition to this Act.

There has been debate about why a farm organization should be involved in a social issue. That is a fair question but our policy book has several social issues that have been in our policy book for years and when they were adopted who would have ever thought that something like gay marriages would become acceptable in our society. We as managers have been admonished in the past about any deviation of policy and so now we should follow policy on this issue.

Thankfully, our local legislators are working to prevent the passage of the bill but there is a difference in simply opposing and actively working to defeat the issue. Encourage our local legislators by calling them and letting them know your position.

Some farmers are beginning to apply first applications of nitrogen and as temperatures warm, spraying for garlic control and fungicide treatments will begin. Management of wheat has intensified in the last few years with different timing of nitrogen and fungicide to optimize yields. These practices are showing an increase in wheat yields.

Remember we are farmers working together. If we can help let us know.