5 minute read
Executive Edge
Josh St. Peters, Illinois Beef Association Executive Vice President
This issue of Illinois Beef magazine is packed with a lot of great information – much of it celebrating success of our members as summer show season comes to an end. Kudos to each of you who brought home banners this year! Your success reflects the tremendous quality we have in Illinois – in both cattle, and people. As we brought summer to close in the Illinois beef industry, many of our leaders and members gathered at a couple of key functions, including Illinois State Fair in Springfield and NCBA’s Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville.
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I’d like to thank all the volunteers and members who put in their time to make both events a success for our organization. As you’ll see later in this issue, we had a great representation of Illinois delegates at the convention in Tennessee. Our members were able to voice input on key policy and checkoff discussions and had the valuable opportunity to network with other state affiliate members from across the country. Thank you to our delegation for representing so well, and for carrying the IBA flag during NCBA’s rescheduled annual conference. I look forward to another great set of meetings as we return to the regular convention schedule next year, at the NCBA Cattle Industry Convention in Houston, Texas, Feb. 1-3, 2022.
Our representation was also exceptional during the 2021 Illinois State Fair. From setup to tear down, IBA leaders and staff were on the fairgrounds for fifteen consecutive days, and the presence and impact was a great showcase of our organization’s support for Illinois beef producers and industry stakeholders. The first week of the fair was chocked full of great shows, from breeding stock to showmanship and market animal classes. You’ll see many of the winners highlighted here in the magazine; all of it is possible thru the exceptional work of so many people. But I want to especially thank the families who put in the time and investment to travel to Springfield to participate in the fair or come be spectators. Our fairs in Illinois offer great opportunities to celebrate the state’s top industry – agriculture, and beef is always a focal point of these events because of the strong turnout when have in the barns, in the showring and ringside. Thank you all for being part of this year’s event in Springfield. As I write this article today, we’re closing in on the upcoming DuQuoin State Fair, too, and I’m certain we’ll have a strong celebration of agriculture and cattle production there as well.
The Ribeye Corral has long been a fixture of IBA’s presence at Illinois State Fair. It’s a source of fundraising for the organization, but also a key representation inside the Commodities Pavilion on the grounds, and a gathering place for our members and industry friends. Perhaps most important, it’s a place to showcase quality beef products to consumers while they visit the fair. This year we were blessed to have Betsy Pech from Logan County step forward as a volunteer coordinator for the Ribeye Corral. Betsy is a retired high school agriculture instructor who serves on our Board of Governors and is the current Secretary/Treasurer for the Policy Division; she and husband Randy raise Hereford cattle at their farm near Lincoln. Betsy brought organization and leadership to the fair this year, and her presence was an enhancement noted by many. We simply could not have done so well without her efforts, and I’m grateful for the volunteerism. And good news is – she kept the keys to Ribeye Corral at the end of the fair… so I’m choosing to take that as a sign that she’ll be back in 2022 again!
Additionally, I need to thank our staff for their stellar work during NCBA Convention and the fair. Both events individually come with a lot of work and responsibility but stacking them on top of one another during the same week in 2021 was especially cumbersome. Nancy, Mareah, Betty, and Sydney tackled a lot of critical needs planning for, executing and wrapping up these events. We were also fortunate to have the 2020 summer intern back for a few days at Illinois State Fair, and McKenzie Davison’s contributions were also very beneficial for IBA’s junior activities and checkoff promotions.
In the coming weeks some of you will find your proverbial plates filled with fall calving activities and crop harvest. Here in Springfield, we anticipate a fall session of the General Assembly and several political events and activities as candidates for state and local races begin to campaign across the state. Be watching for e-mails and information on our fall and winter BQA meetings; many of our Illinois producers will need to renew at year-end, either online or at one of the in-person meetings we’re planning. I wish you a safe and plentiful fall season on your operations, and promise we’ll keep driving for success on behalf of your families in our work here at IBA, too.
If you have questions, concerns or need help with an issue on your operation or in your community, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My contact at the office is josh@illinoisbeef.com or (217) 787-4280 and if I am on the road, you can call or text me via (217) 282-0250.
Thank You Thank You
RIBEYE CORRAL VOLUNTEERS
The IBA Ribeye Corral is a food stand at the Illinois State Fair which attracts guests during the event’s 10-day run, providing the Association with an opportunity to interact with beef consumers. Fairgoers enjoyed a variety of menu options like the Italian Beef sandwich and the beef kabobs. Popular items like the ribeye sandwich and brisket sandwich were a hit again this year. All of our volunteers deserve a special thank you!
