3 minute read
Turning the Page
There’s just something I’ve always loved about September. The way the air smells of nostalgia and new beginnings remind me of the feeling I would get as a kid preparing to start a new school year. Walking through the door to the smell of fresh textbooks, wearing your new first-day-of-school outfit, giddy with excitement to use your new school supplies and see your friends again after a long summer break.
Now that I’m an adult, I still find myself experiencing the scent of something new during September. At the Illinois Soybean Association, September 1 means we take off running into a new fiscal year, and there’s a refreshing feeling that comes over you as past projects wrap up and new projects take flight.
In this issue, you’ll learn more about those projects beginning in Fiscal Year 24, along with recurring projects on a path for continued success. In FY24, I’m most looking forward to the third year of recognizing young farmers in Illinois through our 20 Under 40 program. This program encompasses a nomination process to identify 20 farmers under the age of 40 who are making a difference on their farms and in their communities. By recognizing these farmers and engaging directly with them, we are able to not only meet them and showcase their efforts, but begin a relationship with them that will last for years to come.
As a communicator, I’m looking forward to a new project effort kicking off in FY24 that aims to conduct a strategic, calculated outreach to ag, regional and business media in Illinois to elevate the great stories of Illinois soybean farmers and ISA that demonstrate the impact and reach of the checkoff.
The new fiscal year will also include the continuation of the publication you have in your hands, or on your screen. Illinois Field & Bean will continue to deliver a monthly issue of the publication right to your mailbox for the next 12 months, chock full of content on topics that matter to you. Every new issue that lands on my desk brings me pride to see that our work gathering information, conducting interviews, editing copy, and reviewing the layout was well worth it when I have the physical pages in my hands.
Every month I hear feedback from our recipients commenting on stories that impacted them and it is so fulfilling to know that this publication proves to be valuable. We would love to keep hearing from you, so don’t hesitate to send us a note today at ilsoy@ilsoy.org
The summers sure don’t seem quite as long these days, but turning over a new page – literally and metaphorically – and beginning new efforts to ensure farmers’ priorities are met, pays off.
