The 2025-26 Illinois FFA officer team poses for a photo at the 97th Illinois FFA State Convention in June. For the first time in the organization’s history, the team featured six members, after delegates voted to add the sentinel officer. Members are, from left: president Natalie Pratt, vice president Koben Tate, reporter Ethan Bremmer, secretary Kyle Bradshaw, treasurer Kaydance Wooton, and sentinel
‘I
Amboy FFA member Natalie Pratt looks forward to heading up a historic team for the ag organization
By MARTHA BLUM Shaw Media AgriNews
SPRINGFIELD — Amboy FFA member Natalie Pratt has always been a team player for the group, and now it’s official.
It’s also a bigger team, too.
Delegates made history with their vote at the 97th Illinois FFA State Convention in June, adding a sentinel to the FFA officer team that now includes six members — including putting Pratt at the helm as president.
The 2025-26 officer team elected during the annual event, held June 10-12 this year, consists of: president Natalie Pratt, vice president Koben Tate, reporter Ethan Bremmer, secretary Kyle Bradshaw, treasurer Kaydance Wooton, and sentinel Paige Sierens.
“I think it’s going to be amazing,” said Pratt. “We are the ninth largest state in terms of membership in the nation, so we need that extra officer to open the opportunity to have more connections with members across the state.”
The FFA jacket for Pratt has always been a safe place.
“I would like to make sure every FFA member feels seen and heard,” she said moments after becoming the leader of the statewide orga-
nization. “So, if they need someone for a conversation or a firm handshake to make their FFA jacket a safe place, I want to make sure my newly forming team can be those people for them.”
Advised by Joe Heavner and Lexi Hilliker, Pratt also won the Extemporaneous Public Speaking Leadership Development Event during the convention.
“I love extemporaneous speaking — it’s my favorite,” she said.
Pratt’s FFA projects include agricultural communications, in which she did social media work for AgViewFS.
“I also worked for Illinois Farm Bureau and did videos called ‘Natalie’s Awesome Agriculture’ during COVID,” she said.
For her agricultural education project, the FFA president taught Discovery Agriculture classes to eighth-grade students.
“I had 12 to 20 kids and I taught them for 42 minutes, Monday through Friday,” said the daughter of Andy and Katie Pratt. “I did lesson plans, grading and everything in between that.”
After serving a year as the state FFA president, Pratt plans to attend Oklahoma State University to study agricultural education with a minor in agricultural policy for the career goal of becoming an agricultural teacher.
FFA cont’d from page 16
Also elected to the team …
Vice President Koben Tate — Tate, the son of Aaron and DeeAnn Tate, is involved with both cattle and sheep on his family farm near Dallas City. Tate thinks of Illinois FFA like a big puzzle. “Every member comes together and has their own spot,” the Illini West FFA member said. “I want to help members find their spot in this organization and I also want to make connections with members.” Although Tate is still undecided about his college plans, he is thinking about attending the University of Illinois or Western Illinois University. “I plan on majoring in farm business management and minoring in agronomy,” he said. “Hopefully in the future, I’ll help run my family’s farm and work for a local company,” the sixth-generation farmer said. “I love that our farm is run with such a closely knit relationship with my family.
Reporter Ethan Bremmer — The Pearl City FFA member said he hopes he can create in others the same impact that FFA had on him. The son of Chad and Deb Bremmer, Ethan said his brother Ben, who was the state treasurer two years ago, “was a big encouragement and he helped me figure out this was something that suited me well.” Ethan works on his family’s grain and dairy farm. He said that next year, he plans to attend Lake Land College and enroll in the
John Deere Tech program. After completing his associate degree in applied sciences, he will be working at Heritage Tractor in Freeport. “I will also work on my family farm because farming is in my blood,” the fifth-generation farmer said.
Secretary Kyle Bradshaw — In his new role as state secretary, Kyle said he’ll get to do something he’s always enjoyed: spending time with FFA members. “I’m so excited I’ll get to do that about every day for the next year,” the Pittsfield FFA member said. “The great leaders have inspired me and the thought that I get to be in those same shoes is still hard to comprehend.” The son of Matthew and Lori Bradshaw, Kyle has completed one year at John Wood Community College. “I’m studying ag business at the Fred L. Bradshaw Learning Center, that is named after my grandpa,” he said. “I’m going to finish my degree there and probably transfer to a university and hopefully come back to the family farm.”
Treasurer Kaydance Wooton — Of her new role, the Blue Ridge FFA member said: “This is a feeling I can’t even describe. Being on a team with my best friends again is such a blessing.” Kaydence, the daughter of Chad and Dixie Wooton, said she plans to attend Okla-
homa State University to major in agricultural education and minor in communications. “I’m thinking I want to be an ag teacher, but my student teacher, Eliza Petry, majored in ag education and now she’s on the news, so I want that opportunity, too.”
Sentinel Paige Sierens — Serving as the first state sentinel is a surreal feeling, said Paige Sierens. “Knowing that I have this opportunity with these incredible individuals, there’s not a word to describe it,” the Annawan FFA member said. “It is not very often that I am speechless, but this is one of those times.” The FFA sentinel plans to connect with as many members as possible this year. “I feel that’s what makes this position the most rewarding,” she said. “I hope to inspire leadership and spark growth, whether that’s increasing FFA membership or getting someone more involved.” FFA has been on Sierens’ radar throughout her childhood. “My parents [Gary and Beth Sierens] met through FFA so I always knew it was something in my future,” she said. Sierens will attend the University of Illinois next year and major in animal science.
ReadmorefarmnewsatShawMedia’sAgriNews, atagrinews-pubs.com/
More soft and fuzzy little heads are popping up across the state, driven by demand
By HANNAH SPANGLER FarmWeek
Sheep and lamb production is climbing in Illinois, signaling positive trends for the industry.
The USDA recently estimated the inventory of all sheep and lambs is up 5% in Illinois compared to January 2024, reaching 58,000 head. Specifically, the breeding sheep inventory is at 49,000 head, a 7% increase from 2024.
“The price of lamb meat is pretty high, so we’ve been doing pretty good as far as income for selling the meat,” said Elton Mau, past president of the Illinois Lamb and Wool Producers, who typically receives $3 per pound for lambs weighing under 100-120 pounds.
On his farm in eastern McLean County, Mau has nearly 120 grazing ewes, primarily Dorsets crossed with Ile de France. Most of his herd is used for regenerative grazing, while a smaller portion is reserved for market or for his granddaughters to show.
“It’s a personal preference, but I like sheep because you can handle them better than a 1,000-pound cow,”
Mau said of why he wanted to raise sheep. “It’s a whole lot less expensive, too.”
On the consumer side, Mau attributes a few factors to the increase in demand, including COVID-19. He told FarmWeek that while people were home during the pandemic, many started trying new foods.
The growth can also be attributed to international and cultural demand, Mau said, with Muslim and Latino markets consuming more lamb. Growth has been led by Mexico, with U.S. Meat Export Federation February reports showing a 133% increase in U.S. lamb shipments.
Lanny Bowman from McDonough County and Barry Fisher from Fulton County both participated in the Easter lamb market on their farms, as demand for lamb increases at that time of year. Fisher consistently sells about 100 lambs for Easter every year. For Bowman, the amount sold varies from year to year, depending on when Easter falls on the calendar.
“That’s been a part of why the sheep business has been where it’s at,” Bowman said of the Easter mar-
ket. “If you can hit that time frame in the right time for getting lambs to the Easter market, it seems to be a good time to sell.”
Bowman grew up raising pigs but started getting into sheep in the early 1990s. He started with a small flock and continued to grow it, especially as his kids started showing Southdowns for 4-H.
He attributes some of the growth of the lamb industry to current prices, with his smaller lambs getting $4.25 per pound this spring. Bowman also agrees with Mau and noted there are fewer barriers to entering the sheep market, as sheep require less space and upfront cost to start compared to other livestock.
“There’s no doubt that you could get into the sheep world with way less expenses, and they’re pretty easy to raise,” Bowman said. “They take some maintenance, but it’s a quick, easy start.”
Thisstorywasdistributedthroughacooperativeprojectbetween IllinoisFarmBureauandtheIllinoisPressAssociation.Formorefood andfarmingnews,visitFarmWeekNow.com.
every one of those sites that are conducive to having sheep on them,” he said.
“I’m not promoting solar panels, but if they go in, I want sheep there,” he said virtually from Ohio at the industry event held at the University of Illinois Animal Sciences Building in Urbana.
By PHYLLIS COULTER FarmWeek
For anyone curious about how Illinois can increase its sheep population, an Ohio producer is shining some light on the subject.
Camren Maierle, an American Lamb Board member, told a flock of Illinois lamb and wool producers that one way to boost the “Baaaa’s!” in Illinois is to give them a place to roam — on solar farms.
“There could be a decent amount of this in Illinois in the next couple of years,” Maierle told the producers during Illinois Sheep Industry Day in March.
Solar grazing has become a big part of his business, and it could become a bigger part of Illinois sheep producers’ business, too.
Maierle predicts there will be more large-scale solar operations because of energy demand. “I want sheep on
He sees it as a huge opportunity for sheep producers. “Our ability to capitalize on affordable feed is huge,” he said of combining solar power and production agriculture, known as agrivoltaics.
Sheep are the animal of choice for solar grazing because they “fit” and cause less wear on the equipment than cattle or goats. “It’s a risk mitigation industry,” Maierle said.
Usually, a clover mix is used to graze three to five ewes per acre. Maierle said his goal, on well-managed pastures, is to graze eight to 10 sheep per acre.
He estimates that a sheep producer grazing 500 solar acres could earn half a million dollars with 2,000 ewes if the lease was for $350 per acre. That’s not counting any lambs.
The competition for grazing solar fields isn’t from neighboring sheep farmers, it’s from mowing compa-
More info
Visit solargrazing.org to learn more about opportunities in agrovoltaics.
nies, he said. Solar companies pay landscapers about $480 per acre per year to keep the weeds down. Comparatively, sheep grazers might charge $300 to $500.
“I offer an improved service of soil health and management for equal pay,” Maierle said. “Energy companies eat that up.”
Challenges for grazing sheep on a solar farm compared to a traditional lot or pasture include movement of solar panels and managing wires that sheep must traverse.
As for marketing increased Illinois lamb production, Maierle said homegrown lamb could displace some of the lamb imported today. Between 60% and 70% of lamb consumed in the state is imported from New Zealand and Australia.
Thisstorywasdistributedthroughacooperativeprojectbetween IllinoisFarmBureauandtheIllinoisPressAssociation.Formore foodandfarmingnews,visitFarmWeekNow.com.
By TAMMIE SLOUP FarmWeek
The U.S. barge market is facing a retirement cliff, which could impact ag transportation logistics, one analyst warned.
Ken Eriksen, managing member and strategic adviser at Polaris Analytics and Consulting, provided an overview of the evolving landscape of agriculture and barge transport during a recent FreightWeekSTL panel session hosted by the St. Louis Regional Freightway.
The analyst talked with RFD Radio Network’s DeLoss Jahnke about the outlook for commodities and the barge industry. Here are four takeaways from the conversation:
Barge retirement cliff
“Where we are today with the barge market is rather fascinating, and we’re facing a retirement cliff in the dry, covered barge market. They average roughly 25- to 30-some years, and there’s a huge spike of barges ... within that 25-to-30-year age right now. Out of a 13,200-barge fleet, we’re seeing about 2,000 barges that are coming to the end of their useful life, and there could be some tightness, and we only have a couple major builders in the United States anymore. We’ve got to be very diligent in how we prepare for that retirement cliff if people retire them en masse.”
Infrastructure needs
Though the lock and dam system has not aged gracefully, the infrastructure has managed to last well beyond its designed and engineered lifespan.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” Eriksen said. “But now, within the Waterways Resources Development Act, there’s been a lot of positive reinforcement of revenues to come in, and the industry’s done well working with Congress to see this shift in the amount of fuel tax revenue that is paid for projects; the cost share is now 75% by the federal government, 25% from the industry.” However, he added, “Except that
Thousands of transports are slowly heading toward a ‘retirement cliff’
when you have problems elsewhere in the system, and we’ve seen this on the Tennessee River and a few other places where projects that have major cost overruns, or there’s a major impediment or something failed, they’ve got to siphon the money off and direct it someplace else.
“So now you just get further behind, and you’re still trying to play catchup. So being able to have full funding for projects like locks and dams is important if we want to maintain our resiliency with our infrastructure.”
On the open barge side, coal production has dropped by more than half since 2015, from 1.2 billion tons to below 600 million tons, with a corresponding drop in barge loadings. As a result, there isn’t as much coal in the St. Louis region’s river system. This could change given the new administration’s support
of the use of coal, creating both challenges and opportunities as it relates to multimodal options and multi-commodity services.
“So if you do get a bit more of a push on or at least stable coal movements, now you’re going to find a stability with the amount of towboats you need, and the same time with grain exports and grain production from one year to next, we could see massive shifts, because at the end of the day, unlike any other commodity, grain has one chance to be planted, one chance to be treated, one chance to be harvested. And none of that’s guaranteed.
“If we lose some volume, like we did through 2023 and we had low water, we saw a diversion of cargo go off through other port ranges. And that’s the reliability and resilience of the U.S. ag system. There are still market outlets for us, or ways to get out of the country with our grain, but the same time, you bring back another 15 million tons of grain to the river, which is wholly possible, and if we have decent water in the Mississippi River system, we could really see some good shift back to the river, and that could put some tightness in the system that’s out there. So, we could see some exciting times as we go forward here.”
Illinois: The ‘Hub of America’
“Indiana likes to be called the ‘Crossroads of America,’ but maybe Illinois is the ‘Hub of America.’ You look at the ability to hit the three major rivers ... and the great one that is the Great Lakes, and that gives you multiple avenues. And that’s part of that reliability. You get multiple outlets to the world market. Secondly, you’ve got a strong crush industry, strong grind industry and perhaps a growing feeding industry within Illinois that’s very attractive, but you got all the modes with rail, barge, truck, container, that’s very attractive. So there’s a positive opportunity there.
Thisstorywasdistributedthroughacooperativeprojectbetween IllinoisFarmBureauandtheIllinoisPressAssociation.Formore foodandfarmingnews,visitFarmWeekNow.com.
