Conversations with E.A.S.E.

Conversations about how beef is raised are happening in our local and virtual communities, and farmers and ranchers need to be engaged. Check out the new My Beef Checkoff pocket guide for tips for engaging in beef conversations as well as key messages, tough questions and facts to share, as well as providing you a list of additional resources you can access to quickly get more information. 

One of the best ways to begin your conversations is to follow the simple ‘E.A.S.E.’ outline: Engage, Acknowledge, Share and Earn Trust. Click here to get details about each step.

NCBA Policy Update

National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs, Colin Woodall, gives an update on policy issues affecting cattlemen and women as the lame duck session moves forward.

IBA PAC Report

As a two-hat organization, IBA spends time promoting beef through The Beef Checkoff and also representing cattlemen and their right to operate through member dues. An additional way IBA operates in the representation arena is by supporting candidates and causes through its federal PAC, which is administered by the IBA PAC/Legislative task force.

The following is taken from the operating policy of this group: "The allocation of funds shall be based on the best interest and best net benefit of IBA members. Funding and support decisions will be determined without consideration of party affiliation or incumbency. Any IBA member may submit support requests to the PAC/Legislative Task Force. IBA will not make official endorsements of candidates, but rather use its PAC funds to help support the candidacy of those with a history of support for the beef industry in Illinois. The IBA PAC/Legislative Task Force will make regular reports and provide financial accounts of PAC expenditures to the IBA Board of Governors."

IBA leaders were hard at work this fall representing Illinois cattlemen and supporting candidates with a history of backing the Illinois beef industry.

Illinois Beef Association leaders attended an event held for Congressman Adam Kinzinger on Oct. 22. Pictured L to R: Terry Mefford, Bill Graff, Alan Adams, Congressman Kinzinger, Dale Pfundstein, Liz Novotny, Jeff Beasley, Reid Blossom, and Kent Wesson.

Reid Blossom and Bill Graff spoke to Congressman Rodney Davis about the interests of Illinois cattlemen and showed support of Congressman Davis at Bill Graff's farm in Middletown, Ill. Picture L to R: Reid Blossom, Congressman Davis, and Bill Graff

Below is a listing of all state and federal candidates receiving IBA PAC support in 2012:

Jason Barickman             Chris Lauzen

Mike Bost                          Dave Luechtefeld

John Bradley                     Frank Mautino

Dan Brady                         Rita Mayfield

Kelly M. Burke                   Sam McCann

John Cavaletto                  Kyle McCarter

Jerry Costello II                  Don Moffitt

Tom Cross                         Michael Noland

Rodney Davis                    Brandon Phelps

Lisa Dugan                        Jason Plummer

Mary E. Flowers                Bob Pritchard

Jack Franks                       David Reis

Michael Frerichs                Sue Rezin

Brad Halbrook                   Mitt Romney

Norine Hammond              Wayne Rosenthal

Kay Hatcher                       Jim Sacia

Chad Hays                         Martin Sandoval

Linda Holmes                    Bobby Schilling
Randy Hultgren                  John Shimkus
Toi Hutchinson                   John Sullivan
Mike Jacobs                      Patrick Verschoore
Tim Johnson                       Joe Walsh
Adam Kinzinger                 A J Wilhelmi
Dave Koehler 

Attend BQA meetings

Mark your calendar to attend upcoming Beef Quality Assurance meetings. Beef producers can receive training to help learn best practices in cattle management.

Sauk Valley Community College and the Milledgeville Veterinary Clinic will host a BQA training and certification seminar Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m., at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon. Travis Meteer and Dr. Jeff Waite are the instructors for the evening and a meal catered by SVCC will be provided. To RSVP contact Cimeron Frost cimeroncf@aol.com or 217-787-4280.

The Illinois Beef Association, Carthage Livestock, and Lowderman Cattle Company are sponsoring a BQA training and certification seminar Thursday, Dec. 6, at 5:30 p.m., at Lowderman Auction Center in Macomb. Travis Meteer, Buzz Illiff, and Trevor Toland will serve as instructors and ribeye sandwiches will be provided by the Tri-County Cattlemen. And don't forget to bring your semen tank! Genex and Select Sires representatives are offering semen specials on site. To RSVP contact Cimeron Frost cimeroncf@aol.com or 217-787-4280.

Illinois Commodity Conference

IBA staff and board members attended the Illinois Commodity Conference today. The conference is an annual event that presents a great opportunity to visit with agricultural leaders and discuss challenges facing the industry. The Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Milk Producers’ Association, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Soybean Association and Illinois Wheat Association worked together in hosting this event.

Farm Credit Services presented the Illinois Beef Association with a donation at the conference. A big thanks to Farm Credit! 

IBA members, Mike and Lynn Martz, spoke to conference attendees about their work with Illinois Farm Families giving a behind-the-scenes look at what really happens on their farm. Mike and Lynn shared the tough questions they answer and the importance of showing consumers that beef producers are consumers too.

IBA president, Jeff Beasley, speaks to media about the beef industry in Illinois.

And we're off!

Here you find the inception of the official blog of the Illinois Beef Association. We hope you enjoy reading our posts in the future and find that they serve to keep you either informed, entertained, or some combination of the two.

This blog was created in an effort to make more use of electronic communication tools to spread information to our members and supporters. We hope this venture affords the opportunity to quickly find event and program updates and helps "put a face on the producer".