Reconnecting with “Adopted” Legislators at the IFB Annual Meeting

The Illinois Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting in Chicago provides a great opportunity for leaders from downstate counties to reconnect with their “Adopted” urban legislators while they are in town to work on policy and celebrate the organization’s accomplishments during the past year.

For some counties this visit includes a nice evening dinner with their adopted legislator to continue to build upon relationships already established.  For others it may include a visit during different parts of the IFB Annual Meeting to see our policy development process, catch a keynote speaker or general session, or even stick around for the evening’s entertainment…. a concert featuring Lonestar.  It could also include going out into their legislator’s home district to visit while they are in the area.  Whatever the venue, the IFB Annual Meeting offers another opportunity during the year for County Farm Bureau leaders to build relationships with urban legislators not directly connected to agriculture.

Illinois Farm Bureau developed its Adopt-A-Legislator® program in 2001 with the purpose of building long-term personal relationships between urban state legislators and farmers from across the state.  The goal of the program is to educate urban legislators about agriculture – our state’s largest industry – and rural life, while also helping our members better understand the needs and concerns of an urban district.

Relationships that develop are valued by both the farmers and urban legislators. This program allows our members to be an important resource for their adopted legislators when important agricultural issues arise in the General Assembly.