August 2009 http://mcdonough.countyfarmbureau.org Vol. 3 No. 8

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. Postage PaidMacomb, IL 61455

Permit #455

®

“An agricultural grassroots organization- devoted to ensuring the quality of life for our county Farm Bureau members- today and tomorrow.”

Welcome New MembersThe McDonough County

Farm Bureau® would liketo welcome the followingto our organization for the

month of June.

Ryan RichardsChristina Barrows

Jack DuncanKeith Eash

Robert LivingstonGordon Roskamp

Chad LongKristen Browning

Kevin Malone

Local GovernmentConference

Farm Bureau® members have the opportuni-ty to learn more about how local governmentimpacts you. Fulton County Farm Bureau® incooperation with Knox, McDonough, andWarren-Henderson County Farm Bureaus andthe Illinois Farm Bureau® is sponsoring a con-ference to address current local governmentissues.

The three-hour Local GovernmentConference will be held on Wednesday, August26th at 1:00 p.m., in McDonough County at theVineyard Community Church in Macomb. Itwill be preceded by a complimentary lunchbeginning at 12:30 p.m. This is an opportunityfor you to learn the latest, share your thoughtsand ask questions.

Attendees will be provided an overview ofstatewide issues affecting local government—including new legislation—plus a focus onthree other major topics:

Local Road Funding: Illinois’ counties,townships and road districts maintain over 85%of the rural public highway miles in the state.This session will review the various fundingsources for those local road systems and howtoday’s economy is affecting them. We’ll alsoconsider the new State and Federal infrastruc-ture packages and what that could mean forlocal systems. Finally, we’ll review specifics ofyour local jurisdictions.

Rural Development: “Rural developmentand agriculture’s role in it, is evolving suchthat now, farming is more dependent on ruralcommunities than rural communities aredependent on farming.” This session will focuson the opportunities to strengthen rural com-munities through an understanding of pro-grams promoting economic developmentstrategies. We’ll consider the importance ofstimulating rural jobs and economic growth tosustain rural communities and surroundingfarms and indentify opportunities for FarmBureau to enhance their rural developmentefforts and partner with similar interest groupsaround the state.

One other topic of particular interest for ourarea will be included. County Farm Bureausare arranging for that topic/speaker at presstime.

Speakers include Illinois Farm Bureau spe-cialists and local government officials that dealwith these topics day-to-day.

There is no charge for attendance, butadvance registration is required. For registra-tion information please contact the McDonoughCounty Farm Bureau office by Friday, August21st by calling 309-837-3350 or emailingmcdfb@logonix.net

August 13- Public Hearing, Peoria to

Macomb, 4-7 p.m.; Macomb

August 24- Regional Farm Talk with

President Phillip Nelson, Macomb VFW

August 26- Local Affairs Conference;

12:30; Vineyard Community Church,

Macomb

August 29- Ag in the Classroom Golf

Outing, 8 a.m. Tee time; Gold Hills Golf

Course

For more agriculture related dates, visit our website http://mcdonough.countyfarmbureau.org

Retail food prices at thesupermarket decreasedslightly for the third con-secutive quarter, accord-ing to the latest AmericanFarm Bureau FederationMarketbasket Survey. Theinformal survey showsthe total cost of 16 fooditems that can be used toprepare a meal was$46.29, down about 2 per-cent or $1.12 from the firstquarter of 2009. Of the 16items surveyed, 10decreased, five increasedand one remained thesame in average pricecompared to the priorquarter.

Russet potatoes, bone-less chicken breasts, eggs,sliced deli ham and wholemilk declined the most inprice and togetheraccount for most of thedecrease in average priceof the overall marketbas-ket. Russet potatoesdropped 29 cents to $2.76for a 5-pound bag; chick-en breasts dropped 28cents to $3.10 per pound;eggs decreased 16 cents to$1.34 per dozen; sliceddeli ham and whole milkdropped 14 cents to $4.80per pound and $3.01 pergallon, respectively.

Other items thatdecreased in price were:ground chuck, down 12cents to $2.82 per pound;sirloin tip roast, down 11

cents to $3.88 per pound;flour, down 9 cents to$2.42 for a 5-pound bag;bacon, down 7 cents to$3.19 per pound; andtoasted oat cereal, down 5cents to $2.86 for a 9-oz.box.

“The quarter-to-quarterprice decline reported byour volunteer shoppersindicates that consumersare seeing some relief atthe grocery store. Evenmore significant is thataverage retail prices foreggs, milk, chickenbreasts and bacon for thesecond quarter of 2009 aresignificantly lower thanone year ago,” said AFBFEconomist Jim Sartwelle.

Overall, the averageprice for the marketbasketof foods declined $3.10 orabout 6 percent over ayear’s time. Retail eggprices dropped 26 per-cent, milk decreased 22percent, chicken declined19 percent and bacon was11 percent lower com-pared to a year ago.

“The foods thatdeclined the most in retailprice are among the least-processed items in ourmarketbasket. Whenwholesale prices paid toproducers for minimallyprocessed foods such as

these decrease drastically,as has been the case overthe past few months, con-sumers typically benefitfairly quickly from retailprice reductions in thegrocer’s case,” Sartwellesaid.

Several items went upslightly in price comparedto the prior quarter:bagged salad, up 13 centsto $2.75 for a 1-poundbag; shredded cheddarcheese, up 7 cents to $4.31for one pound; apples, up6 cents to $1.41 perpound; vegetable oil, up 6cents to $2.85 for a 32-oz.bottle; and orange juice,up 2 cents to $3.02 for ahalf-gallon. A 20-oz. loafof white bread remainedthe same in price, $1.77.

AFBF’s second quartermarketbasket survey

tracks closely with thefederal government’s May2009 Consumer PriceIndex report for all food,which showed a slightdecline (-0.2 percent) forthe fourth consecutivemonth.

As retail grocery priceshave increased graduallyover time, the share of theaverage food dollar thatAmerica’s farm and ranchfamilies receive hasdropped.

“Starting in the mid-1970s, farmers receivedabout one-third of con-sumer retail food expen-ditures for food eaten athome and away fromhome, on average. Thatfigure has decreased

Nationwide, Food Prices Trending Down

Farm talk meetingsThe Illinois Farm Bureau has scheduled regional

farm talk meetings this summer. Please mark yourcalendars to attend the meeting in Macomb onMonday, August 24th at 11 a.m. at the VFW Hall, 1200East Jackson. Illinois Farm Bureau President, PhillipNelson will offer updates on major issues and IFB’sactivities to address these issues. This is also a greatopportunity to hear what’s on your mind! Please callSarah at the Farm Bureau office for more information,309-837-3350.

See Food PricesContinued on page 6

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Page 2 • MCDFB • August 2009

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Patronage Refund when applicable1202 WEST PIPER • MACOMB, IL • 309-833-2168WEST CENTRAL FS, INC.

34 W. Side Square, Macomb • 309-833-5996

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Business Center • Locally owned for over 40 years

McDonough County Farm Bureau® Harvester is published monthly by the

McDonough County Farm Bureau®, 440 N. Lafayette St., Suite 105, Macomb, IL 61455.

Non-Profit Org. Postage Paid at Macomb, IL.

Farm Bureau Officers and DirectorsJeffrey Butler………….……....PresidentColby Hunt....………………....Vice PresidentMark Wolford..…......………....SecretaryTodd Dixon ………………...…Treasurer

Farm Bureau Office PersonnelSarah Grant…...........…….ManagerBeverly Drake……………Administrative AssistantJan Armstrong....................SecretaryWhitney Homer... Ag in the Classroom Coordinator

Country Insurance and Financial ServicesTony Laesch…………………...Agency Manager

West Central FSBarry Schmidt…………………Manager

Office Phone: 309-837-3350 Fax: 309-836-3212Email: mcdfb@logonix.net

http://mcdonough.countyfarmbureau.org

Please send address changes to McDonoughCounty Farm Bureau® 440 N. Lafayette St.,

Suite 105, Macomb, IL 61455.

309-837-7272521 West Jackson, Macomb

Buy 1 pizza, get an equal value

pizza FREE!

15% discount on allsingle adult or family

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The YMCA ofMcDonough County

400 E. CalhounMacomb

309-833-2129

1620 East Jackson Macomb

309-833-5508

$2.00 off 20 lb. LPtank fill.

MR. SWEEPER204 N. Lafayette, Macomb

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Macomb1408 W. Jackson • 836-3904313 University Dr. • 836-3214

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For being a member of the McDonough County Farm Bureau,

please enjoy these membership benefit discounts

312 N. University Dr.Macomb

309-833-3100

Buy 1 large pizza & getone large 1-topping free.Dine in or carry out only.10% discount on purchase

of buffet and drink.

10% off Bridesmaids Gowns

Bonnie’s Bridal & Prom Boutique

121 N. Scotland, Macomb 836-9199(behind Maclan Plaza)

Macomb Audiologyand Hearing Aid Center

10% off Hearing Aids112 W. Jackson St., Macomb, IL • 309-836-5031

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20% OFFregular membership fee

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Picture Illinois!The beauty (and even humor) of

Illinois’ rural life comes into focuswith Illinois Farm Bureau’s SecondAnnual Photo Contest. It's a chancefor you, as a member, to captureyour favorite images of the richdiversity of our state's agriculturallandscape and its people. It's agreat way to show off your favoritephotos, and maybe even win aprize.

The contest is for amateurs only.It's for all ages, and open to IFBmembers and their families. Makesure your photos were taken inIllinois, sometime between 2007-2009.

There are three categories toinspire you:

• Kids & Critters• All in a Day's Work• The Back 40

If that's not enough, maybesome cash incentives will help getyou going!

• 1 grand-prize winner willreceive $150.

• 3 first-place winners willreceive $75 each

• 3 second-placers get $25 each• 1 Members' Choice wins $50

(chosen at the IFB Annual Meetingin December)

Winners will be announced inPartners and Farmweek. Winningphotos will be published in IFBpublications, on the IFB websiteand displayed at the IFB annualmeeting.

For official rules visit KenKashian's Photo Gallery. Thereyou'll also find a fast and easy wayto electronically send us your digi-tal photos. Entries can also bemailed. Either way, we need themby October 15.

What are you waiting for? Startsnapping! If you have any ques-tions, you can contact Dawn at(309) 557-2293 or dheggie@ilfb.org.

Special Note: This contest was anidea of the Public Relations ActionTeam, to promote both the beauty ofIllinois agriculture and boost memberinvolvement. You too can spread yourideas statewide. Talk to your countyFarm Bureau about joining one ofIFB's Action Teams.

Illinois Farm Bureau Amateur Photo Contest

Any purchaseNot valid with any other discount10% off

SAVE UP TO 20%at nearly 4,000 Choice Hotels

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Glass Specialty CompanyShow your Illinois Farm Bureau membercard at the Glass Specialty Company andreceive a $15 gift certificate to Wal-Mart.

This weekly publication is provided to MM members withthe latest in farming news and classifieds.

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Save 20% on top brand contact lenses

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Simply walk into any of the 2,600 participating Sherwin-Williams storesnationwide, show them your Illinois Farm Bureau membership card, and

receive a whopping 25% off any purchase.**Excludes Duration Paints and sale prices

Theme Park TicketsSave $$$ during the spring and summer with our

discount at exciting theme parks. Keep watching forinformation about the 2009 ticket season!

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20% DISCOUNT on hearing services from Beltone

MCDFB • August 2009 • Page 3

As a member you have access tothe IAA Credit Union.

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This FREE benefit is a $325 value!

Private Offer from GM onselect vehicles.

Call the Farm Bureau for more information.

Manager’s Corner

Save on long distance calls!

Cell phones plantedlike pliers in farmers’pockets

“I think he’s trying to grow cell phones,” she said.We paused to laugh. She continued a swift pace.This farmer was in the middle of the wettest cornand soybean planting season on record. Tractors hadbeen stuck; planting was delayed. And her husbandhad driven over his 2-week-old cell phone twice:once with a planter and later with a disc that buriedit.

The soil rang. He found the phone. The dustydevice could still contact the local equipment dealer-ship with a breakdown. However, the shatteredscreen left him unable to change the wimpy ringtone or even consider reading a text message aboutthe commodity markets. A new phone suspendsfrom a bungee cord on his collar.

Cell phones on the farm have become as impor-tant as a pair of pliers to the daily attire. Farmershave grown as dependent on the mobile device asthe 87 percent of Americans who own one. Evenfarmers in their seventh decade in the business carrythe service, though some avoid voicemail. They real-ize the convenience and need to quickly access fami-ly business partners, farm suppliers, markets andweather.

In fact, mobile communication made Mom thefarm meteorologist. Someone planting in the field,for example, calls and asks her to predict animpending storm’s timing, precipitation total andduration. The information allows tractor operatorsto make better decisions in the field. Her forecastingresponsibility dates back to at least the farm’s CBradio days of my childhood, when my code namewas Foxtail and the stationary radio only reachedMom if she was in the house. A cell phone on herhip means she cannot hide; an unanswered call indi-cates she is mowing. Her radar narration duties havedecreased some with the addition of cell phoneinternet service to provide mobile radars in the field.

Cellular devices allow tech-savvy farmers to mon-itor market prices. Immediate information by textmessage or Web browsing provides the opportunityfor important decision-making quickly. A challengeis that reception trails off with the population, mean-ing a corn field 30 miles from a city with stoplightsmay offer choppy communication at best.

The core of the cell phone’s use on the farmremains conversation, both business and social. Thesame phone that called the local parts man for a fuelfilter also orders the Sunday night pizza. It speeddials the veterinarian with calving trouble or reachesthe farmwife seldom seen when planting seasonpeaks. Mobile communication means Granny’s din-ner bell to summon the men for the midday mealhas become a novelty. But it’s a reliable backup on aday the men attempt to plant a crop of cell phones.

*Bail Bond Cards*Available at MCDFB

for $3 per card

What do you getwhen you put localteachers together withlocal producers? SummerAg Institute! As I writethis, McDonough Countyhas just finished our por-tion of the institute and itwas fantastic if I mustsay so myself! SummerAg Institute (SAI) is apartnership with WIUthat combines localteachers with agricultureinformation in the formof tours and presenta-tions. Teachers take theweek long course forgraduate credit and boydo they get an education!

Throughout the weekteachers visit with sever-al different producers ondifferent operations aswell as several agri-busi-nesses. We were able totake the group to visitthe farm of Ken andDebby Dallefeld of ruralMacomb, Heritage Grainand Dairy of rural

Bushnell and WesternGrain Management’snew grain shuttle facilityin rural Adair. It was avery full day but we did-n’t hesitate in feedingthem lots of yummytreats like beef from theDallefeld farm andPrairie Farms Milk andIce Cream at the dairy.

The Dallefelds gra-ciously grilled out for usand the group had anopportunity to taste theirbeef. They raise “whole-some” freezer beef andcan be found at theMacomb Farmers Marketeach week. They also runa delivery business oncea week. Ken took thegroup on a hay rack ridearound the farm wherethe group was able to seeKen “call” cattle andthen feed them. Just likelittle kids that know thesound of their parentsvoice, the cattle camebounding up the hill

when they heardKens call tothem. Theyknow whichsound meansfood! On the way backthe house we stopped atthe pond to feed the fish.

At the dairy, SteveHess showed the groupall the ends and outs ofhis operation. Teacherswere able to stand insidethe parlor while the cowswere milked and visit thebarns where the cows eatand relax. Steve talked tothe group about cowcomfort- the top threethings they are worriedabout. If a cow isn’t com-fortable- then she won’tproduce as much milk.Just like we’ve been say-ing here forever- if afarmer isn’t good to theiranimals- the animalswon’t be good to them.Steve was able to answerlots of questions aboutthe future of the dairy

industry and thepositive effectsthat biotechnol-ogy has had onagriculture.

The final stop was atthe new grain shuttlefacility. This facility isfabulous. If you have theopportunity to go on atour- be sure to takeadvantage of the oppor-tunity. The shear size ofthe grain bins in unbe-lievable. They have builtthis facility to give localproducers another mar-ket for their grain thatwill actually cut theircosts and add value totheir product. Buyers fortrain loads of grain arealready being contractedand they hope to takegrain in the Fall. It’s justamazing how fast thisfacility was built. For along time I think people

See Managers Continued on page 5

Page 4 • MCDFB • August 2009

Part of Our Future is Remembering Our PastDo you recognize any of these faces from

the past? Please call or drop by and let usknow who these folks are.

Legislators Contacts

President Barack ObamaThe White House,District of Columbia 20500Phone: (202) 456-1414Fax: (202) 456-2461

U.S. Senator Roland Burris523 Dirksen Senate OfficeBuilding,District of Columbia 20510-1305Phone: (202) 224-2854Fax: (202) 228-3333

U.S. Senator RichardDurbin309 Hart Senate OfficeBuildingWashington, D.C. 20510Phone: (202) 224-2152Fax: (202) 228-0400

525 S. Eighth St.Springfield, IL 62703Phone: (217) 492-4062Fax: (217) 492-4382www.durbin.senate.gov

Senator John M. Sullivan417 State CapitolSpringfield, IL 62706Phone: (217) 782-2479

926 Broadway, Suite 6Quincy, IL 62301Phone: (217) 222-2295Fax: (217) 222-2944

440 N Lafayette Ste 100Macomb, IL 61455(309) 833-5526Fax (309) 833-5687

http://ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=95&MemberID=1279sullivan@senatedem.state.il.us

Representative Richard P.Myers200-7N Stratton BuildingSpringfield, IL 62706Phone: (217) 782-0416Fax: (217) 782-5257

331 North Lafayette StreetMacomb, IL 61455Phone: (309) 836-2707Fax: (309) 836-2231

http://ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=95&MemberID=1187repmyers@macomb.com

Representative Phil Hare 1118 Longworth HouseOffice BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515-1317Phone: (202) 225-5905Fax: (202) 225-5396

1535 47th Ave., #5Moline, IL 61265Phone: (309) 793-5760Fax: (309) 762-9193

261 North Broad St., #5Galesburg, IL 61401Phone: (309) 342-4411Fax: (309) 342-9749http://hare.house.gov

It is important to let our legislators know your point ofview. As a courtesy to our members, we are providing thecontact information to be able to do just that!

Brett J. PowellAgent

Insurance & Financial ServicesPO Box 79 Office tel (309) 652-3889Blandinsville, IL 61420 Office fax (309) 652-3849

brett.powell@countryfinancial.com1107-050

VISIT US ONLINE! Want the latest in the Farm Bureau news?

Visit us online at http://mcdonough.countyfarmbureau.org

or on our new blog at mcdonoughcountyfarmbureau.wordpress.com

mcdonough.extension.uiuc.eduOr call 309-837-3939

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Agriculture Consumer and EnvironmentalScience United States Department of Agriculture • Local Extension Councils Cooperating

For more information about these programs or other servicesprovided by the University of Illinois Extension Office,

please visit our website at

August 24, 26, 31, September 2, 9 and 14

Annie’s Project –$50 - 1-3:30pm

August 26 and September 9, 30- Utilizing

Cover Crops Telenet Series- Concepts, Species

and Management, Economics Noon to 1:15pm

$30/series

August 26 - Salsa Making - $25 - 6:30-8:30pm

August 31- Natural Resource Management

Telenet – Miscanthus: From Field to Furnace:

1:30 or 6:30pm $5

September 15/17- 4 Seasons – Tree Maintenance

Sept 29/Oct 1- 4 Seasons – Poisonous Plants

September 30- Reliable Recordkeeping - What

to Keep and Why? 6:30-8pm $10

October 5- Natural Resource Management

Telenet-Prairie Restoration

Techniques 1:30 or 6:30pm $5

Oct 13/15- 4 Seasons – Bonsai

November 12- Natural Resource

Management Telenet – Design and

Use of Windbreaks :30 or 6:30pm $5

4 Seasons telenets areprovided free of chargethanks to a donation bya McDonough County

Master Gardener.The Tuesday programsbegin at 1pm and theThursday programs

at 7pm

MCDFB • August 2009 • Page 5

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS

Real answers for real financial security

Anthony J. LaeschAgency Manager

15411 N. State Rte. 100, Suite BLewistown, IL 61542

309-547-2241Ryan Johnson100 N. Side Sq.

Macomb, IL 61455

309-836-2885

Joe Knuppel100 N. Side Sq.

Macomb, IL 61455

309-836-2885

Brett Powell245 S. Main

Blandinsville, IL 61420

309-652-3889

Shelley Postin714 Cole Street

Bushnell, IL 61422

309-772-3003

1208-512HO

June 8, 2009The McDonough County Farm

Bureau Board of Directors met inregular session on Monday, June 8,2009 at 8:00 p.m. in the FarmBureau Office with the followingmembers present: Colby Hunt,Adam McMillan, Joel Lewis, JeffreyButler, Steve Hood, Larry Hopkins,Mark Wolford, Chad Russell, ToddDixon

The meeting was called to orderby Butler.

The invocation was given byDixon.

Also present was Sarah Grant,Manager; Whitney Homer, AITCCoordinator; Barry Schmidt, WestCentral FS, Wyatt McGrew &Austin Tate- scholarship recipients;and Brian Puetz, ILFB Region 1Regional Manager.

The guests for the evening gave a

report. Homer gave a year endwrap up. Schmidt reported on sta-tus of WGM and gave a marketupdate. Scholarships were present-ed to McGrew & Tate.

The minutes from April wereread silently and motion was madeand seconded. Motion carries.

The Financial Report from April& May was given by Dixon.

The Membership Report for Maywas given by Grant. A motion toapprove members was made andseconded. Motion carried.

Old Business:Grant reported on the building.

An update was given on the windordinance. It is on track to beapproved by the county board. Anupdate was given on the SpringRide Alongs. An update was givenon SAI. Our response to an AP story

printed in the Journal was passedaround.

New Business: A golf outing to benefit Ag in the

Classroom will be held in August atGold Hills. An update on socialmedia was given. Discussion washeld on a membership drive.Commodities conference will beJuly 29th in Springfield. An updatewas given on H1N1. Update wasgiven on Plat Books. Rough draft ofa Foundation brochure was passedaround. The July board meeting willbe held at the Butlers on July 13.

Other Business: Grant gave themanager’s report. A local affairsconference will be held in August inMacomb.

Motion to adjourn was made andseconded. Motion carries.

Adjourn time- 9:45 p.m.

The McDonough County Farm Bureau helpedsponsor several events during the 2008 4-H Fair. Agin the Classroom invited all youngsters 3rd grade andyounger to be a “Farmer For a Day” with the multi-station agriculture setup. Children were able to col-lect eggs from the coop, dig for potatoes, pick apples,sort grain, explore farm machinery and learn aboutfarm safety. Many children enjoyed the station aswell as several local daycare facilities.

MCDFB also sponsored the annual Ag Olympicsfor youth age 8 through high school. During the AgOlympics, participants competed in events such asthe dizzy bat race, farmers clothes race, egg andspoon race and the corn eating relay.

4-H Fair Activities Held

FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC& OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

117 E. Carroll, Macomb • 837-2567Where you come to get well

According to the Illinois CDL study guide the answer is:• Commercial Motor Vehicle operators operating a

vehicle of gross weight 10,000 lbs. or greater

Where can you get a High Quality & Economical DOT Physical?

Family Chiropractic & Occupational Health Services- With over 25 plus years of Service in the Macoupin and McDonough County area.

Who needs a medical DOT physical in theMcDonough County farming community?

• Bus Drivers• Hazardous Material Drivers

thought nothing was going on over there becausethey couldn’t see the workers. Well I can assure youthey were working- they were just below ground!There is a ton of underground concrete work that hasbeen done to make this facility a reality.

There just isn’t any better way to learn about agri-culture than to experience it first hand. We’re proudof the SAI program and information it brings to localteachers. For more information on this program, justgive me a call or send me an email. I’d love to tellyou about it! (Look for pictures on our blog www.mcdo-noughcountyfarmbureau.wordpress.com and in nextmonths issue)

Manager’s Continued from page 3

Page 6 • MCDFB • August 2009

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Food PricesContinued from page 1

steadily over time and is now just 19 percent, accordingto Agriculture Department statistics,” Sartwelle said.

Using the “food at home and away from home” per-centage across-the-board, the farmer’s share of thisquarter’s $46.29 marketbasket would be $8.80.

AFBF, the nation’s largest general farm organization,has been conducting the informal quarterly marketbas-ket survey of retail food price trends since 1989. Themix of foods in the marketbasket was updated duringthe first quarter of 2008.

According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10percent of their disposable annual income on food, thelowest average of any country in the world. A total of82 shoppers in 33 states participated in the latest sur-vey, conducted in May.

Tracking Milk and Egg Trends

For the second quarter of 2009, shoppers reportedthe average price for a half-gallon of regular wholemilk was $1.92, down 24 cents from the prior quarter.The average price for one gallon of regular whole milkwas $3.01, down 14 cents. Comparing per-quart prices,the retail price for whole milk sold in gallon containerswas about 25 percent lower compared to half-galloncontainers, a typical volume discount long employedby retailers.

The average price for a half-gallon of rBST-free milkwas $3.18, down 1 cent from the last quarter and about65 percent higher than the reported retail price for ahalf-gallon of regular milk ($1.92).

The average price for a half-gallon of organic milkwas $3.63, down 8 cents compared to the first quarterand approximately 90 percent higher than the reportedretail price for a half-gallon of regular milk ($1.92).

Compared to a year ago (second quarter of 2008),the retail price for regular milk in gallon containersdecreased by 22 percent while regular milk in half-gal-lon containers decreased 20 percent. The average retailprice for rBST-free milk dropped about 5 percent in ayear’s time. The average retail price for organic milk inhalf-gallon containers went up and down slightlythroughout the year, rising 1 percent in the secondquarter of 2009 compared to a year ago.

For the second quarter of 2009, the average price forone dozen regular eggs was $1.34. The average pricefor “cage-free” eggs was $3.00 per dozen, around 95percent more per dozen than regular eggs.

Regular eggs and “cage-free” eggs dropped in retailprice by 26 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively,between the second quarter of 2008 and the secondquarter of 2009.

Social Media Bridges Consumer-Producer GapBillions of people turn

to the Internet dailysearching for access toinstant information. OnGoogle alone there are31 billon searches everymonth. We live in expo-nential times. Withradio, it took 38 years toreach a market audienceof 50 million; withFacebook it took a meretwo years.

Social media issweeping the nation aswell as the agriculturalcommunity. Accordingto a recent AmericanFarm Bureau Federationsurvey of young farmersand ranchers, among the92 percent of young(aged 18-35) farmers andranchers who use com-puters, 46 percent regu-larly plug in to someform of social media.

The growing discov-ery of Web-based toolssuch as Facebook andTwitter is not onlychanging the way wecommunicate with oneanother, but also is shap-ing the way people formopinions, ultimatelydriving consumer pref-erences. Likewise, agrowing number offarmers and ranchers areusing social media tobuild bridges of under-

standing with con-sumers.

While a number ofagriculturists are usingsocial media to connectwith like-minded indi-viduals, many areengaging in conversa-tions with others whohold different opinions,but who hunger forinformation from “real”farmers. This presence isvital as activist groupsalso use social media toplant seeds of doubtabout modern agricul-tural practices.

Food safety is onetopic fostering all typesof conversations insocial media circles.There are numerousforums, blogs, Twittermessages, and Facebookpages in the cyber worldabout food and how it isproduced. All too often,these platforms are one-sided and negative. Buttherein rests an opportu-nity for positive engage-ment.

Engaging and inter-acting with critics andconsumers can be chal-lenging and uncomfort-able, but in our conven-ience-driven society ifthe farmer’s side of thestory goes untold insocial media circles, the

doubters are not goingto take the time to digfor the facts. And that isone big reason whyusing social media tojoin the conversation hasbecome more of a busi-ness responsibility thana social luxury.

By embracing today’scommunication toolsand conveying authen-tic, thoughtful messagesabout all the values-based activities that gointo modern food pro-duction, farmers andranchers are making adifference.

A rancher can send

out a simple messagelike “It’s a hot onetoday! Headed out tocheck the animals.” Thevalue of that kind ofTwitter or Facebookmessage cannot be quan-tified, but it’s the type ofreassurance, accountabil-ity and responsivenessconsumers are seekingand that they expect.

An Indiana native andgraduate of PurdueUniversity, AngelaHoffman is a public rela-tions intern at theAmerican Farm BureauFederation.

We’re going GREEN! Help us go green by sending us youremail address. We’d be happy to send

you information about upcoming programs and a link to the online

version of this newspaper!

MCDFB • August 2009 • Page 7

FREE Classifieds!Did you know that classified ads are free to allMcDonough County Farm Bureau members? Theremust be something you’d like to have someone takeoff your hands! To submit item for this section, callus at 309-837-3350 or email at mcdfb@logonix.net.Also, feel free to cut out this ad and return it to usvia the mail at 440 N. Lafayette St., Suite 105 inMacomb. All submissions must be received byMCDFB by the third Monday of each month toappear in the upcoming month.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Classifieds ads are free to all McDonough CountyFarm Bureau members. To submit items call us at309-837-3350 or email at mcdfb@logonix.net. Allsubmissions must be received by the third Mondayof the month to appear in the upcoming month.

ClassifiedsClassifieds

SERVICESTractor & implement refinishing.

Color match or custom PPG Certified. 1-866-562-8911

––––––––––––––––––

FOR SALESWISHER, PULL BEHIND 44" LAWN MOWER

10.5 HP OHV BRIGGS & STATION $700.00 OBO (309)255-5500

USED VERY LITTLE, VERY GOOD SHAPE,READY TO MOW

––––––––––––––––––West Prairie Premium Wholesome Freezer Beef

Kenne & Debby Dallefeld14170 N. 1400th Road, Macomb, Il

Home 309-836-8566 cell 309-333-1417kdbbranch@juno.com

We sell packaged beef as well as quarters,halves and wholes.

• Deliveries made locally every Wednesday 4 P.M. to 6 P.M.• Macomb Farmers Market

• Pick-up at the farm by appointmentWest Prairie Farm Beef is raised locally on our

farm in rural McDonough County.We’re committed to raising premium quality beef

without using implants (growth hormones) or antibi-otics in the feed. All corn, hay and silage fed to ourcattle is grown on our farms. We use an environ-

mentally friendly method of farming, which includesthe use of calcium, composted poultry manure, andorganic dry fertilizer. We use cover crops for fertiliz-

er and erosion control. We use predator wasp inorder to greatly reduce the use of pesticides.

We hold an Illinois State retailer’s license and aMcDonough County Permit.

––––––––––––––––––Rebuilt Manure Spreaders

1-New Idea #17 and 1-IH #100

Ron McGrew 309-775-4502––––––––––––––––––

Building Awning for sale.Black with lettering. Easily painted.

Includes metal grid for hanging.

WANTEDLots of old fence

to sink in cement to hold plastic hose. “Free” or“Cheap” 309-836-8335

Lisa Fulkerson, County Extension Director –McDonough County

To assist with serving the needs of area farm fami-lies, University of Illinois Extension-McDonough,Henderson, Warren and Mercer are presentingAnnie’s Project.

What is Annie’s Project? Annie’s Project is a pro-gram designed to empower farm women to be betterbusiness partners through participation in a series ofsix educational sessions examining the business offarming. Some of the topics covered during the ses-sions include time management, business planning,financial recordkeeping, commodity marketing andmanagement, farmland leasing and purchasing,retirement and estate planning, and governmentfarm programs and policies. Time will also be spentworking at computers learning to use the internetand various farm analysis tools.

The series of classes will be offered at the 4-HCenter in Macomb from 1-3:30pm on August 24, 26,31, September 2 and 9. A sixth class on ag produc-tion is being planned for a later date at the Monsantoresearch farm in Monmouth. As a result of a grantfrom the USDA Farm Service Agency, we are able tooffer the program at a reduced cost of $50 per per-son. The fee includes all materials and computeruse.

Class space is limited. For additional informationabout the event, or to place your name on a list toreserve a spot for this program, contact University ofIllinois Extension—McDonough County at 309-837-3939 or lfulkers@illinois.edu Registration isrequested by August 7, 2009.

‘Annie’s Project’ to be offered Heritage EquipmentCompany- TowersAbove Area Fields

Heritage Equipment Company is going to newheights to make sure its customers can go high-tech.Area producers can now place seeds and fertilizerexactly where they want it—within less than an inchvariance even in the dark—thanks to Heritage’s newsatellite signal transmitting and receiving equipment.

The Macomb-based John Deere dealer now hasantennas and radio transmitters on top of three exist-ing towers. These components make up the base sta-tion necessary for customers to connect to Heritage’sReal Time Kinematic (RTK) satellite navigation sig-nal.

“Most producers do not want to invest in a towerand all the base station equipment. We’ve made theinvestment so we can bring the latest agriculturemanagement solutions (AMS) technology to our cus-tomers,” said Matt Repp, Heritage’s AMS specialist.

The RTK signal transmitted from the towers ispicked up by each producer’s new John DeereStarFire™ iTC receiver, which in turn communicateswith the tractor’s AutoTrac™ steering system. Thesignal guides the tractor and equipment down rowswith an accuracy of less than one inch.

“Accurately following rows eliminates overlap infertilizer and pesticide application and seed planting,which saves input costs, including fuel,” said Repp.

And, producers using signal-guided steering sys-tems suffer from less fatigue and can plant accuratelyafter dark.

Above and beyond improved steering accuracy,the newest StarFire receiver provides repeatability.Previous StarFire models pick up signals from orbit-ing satellites, which can drift. Because the Star Fire™iTC picks up signals from Heritage’s base stations,there is no drift. “You can enter your field year afteryear, and know that your map is accurate and you’replanting down the right line,” said Repp.

Repp says this is especially valuable for producersusing strip-till techniques when the furrow is pre-pared in the fall and planted into the followingspring.

The towers are located south of Blandinsville, justnorthwest of Ipava, and seven miles south ofMacomb. Each tower’s signal is available to produc-ers within a 12-mile radius of the base, and produc-ers working on the border of two signals are givenaccess to both to ensure they keep a signal at alltimes.

To make use of the RTK signal, Heritage cus-tomers need to have the complete AutoTrac™ SF2system and pay a monthly subscription fee.Establishing a fourth tower to cover customers in allHeritage Equipment Company’s service areas isplanned.

Heritage Equipment Company is a Gold Star certi-fied John Deere dealer located on East Jackson Streetin Macomb. The dealership sells and services agricul-ture, commercial, and lawn and garden equipmentfor customers in West-Central Illinois.

SEEYOUR

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Harvester reachesover 2000 house-

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Lawrence F. KaneBranch Managerlkane@s-pelmwood.comCell: 309.231.0846

Cathy Ekstrand Market Advisorcekstrand@s-pelmwood.comCell: 309.231.9784

Toll-free 866.334.9779 • phone 309.742.3208fax 309.742.2208

119 W. Main Street, PO Box 199, Elmwood, IL 61529

Analysis.

Advice.

Action.

Page 8 • MCDFB • August 2009

Getting to Know Your Farm Bureau PolicyHow well do you know

Farm Bureau policy? In orderto better understand it,MCDFB will run monthlyexcerpts from the 2008 policybook. Interested in learningmore about how our policysystem works? It all startswith you! For more info con-tact the office!

72. RISK MANAGEMENT/CROPINSURANCE

We encourage continuedproducer education of riskmanagement alternatives,efforts to refine existing riskmanagement tools, and thedevelopment of new cropinsurance and other riskmanagement tools. Theultimate goal should be toeliminate the need for fed-eral disaster payments forall producers.

Until such improve-ments in risk managementtools are made, and in theevent federal disaster pay-ments are approved, webelieve:

1. The federal cropinsurance program shouldbe actuarially sound bycrop, by county, and bystate.

2. Funding for disasterassistance programs shouldnot come from reopeningthe farm bill or from otheragricultural funding offsets.

3. Disaster paymentsshould not penalize pro-ducers who have pur-chased higher levels of cropinsurance.

4. Disaster paymentsshould be in the form ofincreased levels of coveragefor those producers carry-ing crop insurance with eli-gible losses.

5. Producers and/orlandlords should be able toopt out of crop insurancecoverage, but in so doing,would not be eligible forfederal disaster paymentson crop losses.

6. Disaster assistancepayments should be dis-tributed in as timely a man-ner as possible.

7. Producers should nothave to be turned down bya lender to qualify for a lowinterest disaster loan.

8. Beginning farmersshould be allowed to usecounty yield estimatesinstead of the calculated T-yield when establishingyields for federal cropinsurance.

Risk ManagementWe support:1.Providing leadership

in seeking new ways forfarmers to manage riskthrough the private sector.

2.The use of pilot pro-grams that would serve toassist producers in learningto utilize various risk man-agement tools for all prod-ucts, including livestock.Producers willing to partic-

ipate in the pilot programshould be allowed tochoose from a variety ofapproved risk managementmethods designed to sub-stantially manage the riskof the farming operation.The cost of implementingthe chosen risk manage-ment method should besubsidized during the pilotprogram.

3. Education programsthat provide risk assess-ment and risk managementas well as professional edu-cation for farmers in mar-keting, financial manage-ment, and government reg-ulations.

4. The use of off-exchange agricultural tradeoption contracts in com-modity marketing, whichwould include completerisk disclosure, vendorintegrity, and with theopportunity for cash settle-ment of the option. Weshould provide educationalprograms for producers tolearn about this risk man-agement tool and workwith commodity buyers tooffer agricultural tradeoption contracts.

5. The necessary legisla-tive and regulatory changesto establish a FarmerInvestment SavingsAccount into which a pro-ducer could contribute pre-tax dollars for self-insur-ance and be allowed tomake withdrawals at thecontributor’s discretion.

Crop InsuranceWe will actively seek a

crop insurance programwhich:

1.Provides paymentsfor actual losses, includinglosses incurred fromdelayed or preventedplantings, arising from nat-ural causes, and impactinga significant number ofproducers in a concentratedarea.

2.Allows the producer aselection of coveragesinsuring for specific perilsincluding the variation ofcoverages on the samecrop.

3. Provides coveragethat is written and lossespaid on the basis of dollarsper acre rather than basedon a guaranteed level ofproduction.

4. Is offered and admin-istered through private sec-tor resources willing andable to assume some levelof risk.

5. Can be affordablyreinsured through the fed-eral government.

6. Eliminates federallymandated requirements inorder to be eligible to par-ticipate in the federal farmprograms.

7. Allows the Secretaryof Agriculture the right toextend the planting dead-line for crop insurance pur-poses for untimely plant-

ings due to weather delays.8. Allows producers

and/or landlords to opt outof crop insurance coverage,but in so doing would notbe eligible for federal disas-ter payments on crop loss-es.

9. Allows individualunits to be insured on aFarm Service Agency (FSA)optional unit basis.

10. Is actuarially soundby crop, by county, and bystate.

11. Serves as a businesstool for the producer thatprotects against naturaland/or economic disastersand is not used as an artifi-cial incentive to produce acrop.

12. Requires all UnitedStates Department ofAgriculture (USDA) agen-cies accepting productiondata, including acreage andyield data that has beencertified, to reconcile thedata in order to streamlinethe reporting process andreduce the potential forfraud and abuse.

13. Promotes the use ofSoil Productivity, derivedfrom existing CountyNatural ResourceConservation Service(NRCS) Soil Surveys, as aguide for establishing baseT yields for Federal CropInsurance.

14. Expands the USDARisk ManagementAgency’s (RMA) AdjustedGross Revenue Insurancepilot program to includeIllinois, or to offer the pro-gram nationwide.

15. Allows the use of thehigher of either the baseprice (such as Februaryaverage for corn and soy-beans) of the appropriatefutures contract or loan ratefor that crop in order toestablish the initial revenueguarantee for revenue-based crop insurance poli-cies.

16. Rebalances premium

subsidy levels by applyinga flat percentage across allcoverage levels.

17. Explores the feasibili-ty and possibility of offer-ing producers coverage lev-els above the currentlyoffered coverage levels.

18. Studies the elimina-tion of Catastrophic (CAT)coverage and applyingthose subsidy dollars tohigher coverage levels.

19. Allows high-riskground to be insured sepa-rately, and at a lower level,than other ground in thesame county.

20. Allows WrittenAgreements, once granted,to remain effective untilloss ratios dictate other-wise.

21. Devotes additionalresources to allow annualreview of RMA rates for allcrops in all states, with pri-ority given to:

A. States with loss ratiosconsistently exceeding theAgricultural RiskProtection Act (ARPA)mandate receiving acceler-ated degree-of-rate changeto achieve actuarial sound-ness as quickly as possible.

B. States with consistent-ly low loss ratios.

C. Including non-insured ground in produc-tion review in order toreceive the most accurateassessment possible of eachcounty’s production capaci-ty.

22. Devotes additionalresearch dollars to improveexisting policies to developnew insurance tools andfoster the development ofnew and innovative deliv-ery systems.

23. Expands the avail-ability of the RevenueAssurance (RA) policy toall currently insurablecrops in all states, and:

A. Combines features ofthe Crop RevenueCoverage (CRC) policy andRA-Harvest Price Option

policy due to their similari-ties.

B. Combines features ofthe Income Protection (IP)policy and RA-Base PriceOption policy due to theirsimilarities.

C. Creates more distin-guished names for the twoRA products to preventconfusion.

24. Promotes the devel-opment of federal and pri-vate sector revenue-basedinsurance policies thatcould be used to provideincome protection for spe-cialty crops and livestocknormally produced in thatarea.

25. Allows double-cropped soybeans to beinsured as a separate unitand the lengthening ofplanting dates to betterreflect variety maturity,growing season length,Land Grant University orprocessor recommenda-tions, geographic areas, andweather conditions.

26. Allows double-cropped feedgrains to beinsured as a separate unit ifbest management practicesare followed.

27. Allows the use of allelevator quality factors con-ducted by certified gradersusing certified testingequipment. These factorsinclude moisture, foreignmaterial, test weight, dam-age, and mycotoxins. Thedisinterested third partyrequirements for mycotoxintesting should be eliminat-ed if certified equipmentand testers are in place.

28. Offers replant bene-fits that accurately reflectactual cost of replanting thedamaged crop.

29. Allows producersand landlords to receivereplant benefits reflective oftheir share of the expensesto replant the damagedcrop, regardless of the cropinsurance company or typeof crop insurance policythey or the landlord/tenanthave.

30. Requires RMA claimguidelines to take into con-sideration economic justifi-cation when BestManagement Practices areused to determine treat-ment thresholds and timeli-ness of applications.

31. Allows crop insur-ance agents to be involvedin the claims process toprovide enhanced andseamless service to produc-ers.

32. May allow ActualProduction History (APH)calculations to be based onfive years of actual yieldhistory.

How ideasbecome FarmBureau Policy

Farmers tell their countyFarm Bureau about anidea, need or concern.

The county FarmBureau researches

and considers the idea.

The idea is consideredat the state level.

Farmers throughoutIllinois vote on the

idea and if approved,it becomes Farm

Bureau policy.

Some Illinois FarmBureau policy is

turned into AmericanFarm Bureau

Federation policy.

The farmer benefitsfrom the new policy.

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gvxx4477NT0206

Farm Fact of the MonthAccording to the USDA,

98% of farms are still family farms.

BAKED SPAGHETTI

1 pound ground beef1 cup chopped onion1 (12 ounce) pkg. spaghetti, cooked, drained2 (28 ounce) cans diced Italian tomatoes1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained1 (4 ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or oregano1 (8 ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese,

divided

• Brown ground beef and onion while bringingwater to boil for spaghetti. (A few drops of veg-etable oil in water helps prevent spaghetti fromsticking.) Drain beef and onion mixture.

• Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, seasoningand heat. Spread half of cooked spaghetti insprayed 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Layer half beefmixture and sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheese ontop. Repeat spaghetti, meat mixture and cheeselayers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

TIP: This recipe is great to make in advance. If chilledfrom refrigerator, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes.