News & Publications
Family Farm and Food Bytes
Country Music Star Teamed up with NPB to Support Pig Farmers. The National Pork Board (NPB) teamed up with country music star and five-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan as part of an ongoing effort to dispel common misconceptions about modern pig farming.
22nd Annual Giant Pumpkin, Dessert, Carving, and local Honey Contest
This year’s Giant Pumpkin contest was filled with creativity, great pumpkin desserts & honey and pumpkins. Thank you to Puckerville Farms in Lemont for hosting the event!
Deck your Halls
Purchase from a Farm Bureau Member Business, this holiday season with fresh trees, garland, wreaths, poinsettias, greens and decor!
Census of Agriculture survey process underway
This fall, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is sending the 2022 Census of Agriculture to nearly three million ag producers across the country, including all of the farms and producers in Cook County. NASS is trying to get as many internet responses as possible, so survey codes for responding securely online will be sent this November, with paper questionnaires mailed out in December. Online responses will save taxpayer dollars by eliminating the need for data entry and saving postage and paper.
County Coalition Grants Help Fund Illinois AITC Programs
On Oct. 17, the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) program received funding to continue classroom lessons thanks to IAA Foundation grants to local county coalitions. Eighty coalitions serving 89 Illinois counties were awarded $647,000 in grant dollars which can be used for materials, trainings, educational lessons and activities taking place during the 2022-2023 school year.
Taking the Initiative to Help Farmers
Over the past few years, the topic of mental health has become more prevalent in our daily lives. Constant change and stress, compounded by the pandemic, has left many people feeling depressed or anxious – to the point it affects their health. Farmers and those involved in agriculture are not immune to these challenges.
Farm Bureau Submits Letter of Support on Property Tax Incentives for Grocery Stores Located in Food Deserts
Cook County Farm Bureau® supports Ordinance 22-5345 to create a Class 7d property tax incentive to spur and support the establishment or expansion of grocery stores in food deserts.
Party for the Pollinators Receives National Award
We understand the importance of pollinators to our food system and ecosystem. We also realize that conversations about pollinators are easy and fun to have with urban consumers. Thirteen Farm Bureau leaders designed this project to communicate farmers’ efforts to preserve and increase pollinator habitat as well as to illustrate the connection between pollinators and our food system to urban consumers. This project included four sub-projects: creation of a community pollinator garden; community presentations; pollinator garden community event; and large-scale community education event.
Meet a "face" of the Cook County Farm Bureau
Kevin and Molly Gorman, Owners Gorman Farm Fresh Produce
How Farm Bureau served YOU in October
Engaged with members, community and local pumpkin and honey growers by hosting an annual Giant Pumpkin & Local Honey Contest at Puckerville Farms. Members were able to compete in 5 different categories for cash prizes.
PDCH Workshop for Educators Held Sept.29
On Sept. 29, the Cook County Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program held a free PDCH workshop for educators. The workshop featured ILAITC book and project grants and accompanying activities.
Planting Seeds
One of my favorite memories of school was when we had the Star Lab visit. The large inflatable gray dome looked like an out-of-place igloo as it took up half of our elementary school gymnasium. Every class was given a one-hour presentation inside the Star Lab. The students crawled inside the small tunnel to sit inside the dome, where a projection of the night sky was cast overhead. We learned about constellations and our solar system during the middle of the day, without having to step foot outside. I loved the mythological stories of the constellations: Queen Cassiopeia hanging upside down in her chair, the belt of the hunter Orion, Cancer the crab that attacked Hercules, and the big bear Ursa Major and small bear Ursa Minor.
Cook County Wheel Tax Repealed
Effective June 30, 2023, Cook County’s wheel tax will no longer be in effect. Citing suburban repeals of similar vehicle taxes and the lackluster contributions of the vehicle tax to the county’s budget ($3.6 million annually or 0.045% of the county’s $8 billion budget), commissioners approved the repeal of the wheel tax.
Manifolds, Manolos and Manure
Article Seven of the Illinois Constitution provides for the creation of local governments. County boards. Municipalities. Townships. Special districts. Units of local government. These units have the authority to exercise limited governmental power. Some can levy taxes. Some have separate governing boards.
Cook County Farm Bureau to Receive National Award for Conservation Efforts
For Conservations Efforts
Pollinators are important to the food system and ecosystem – and fun to talk about! Cook County Farm Bureau recognized urban consumers enjoy conversations about pollinators and designed a project to share farmers’ efforts to preserve and increase pollinator habitats as well as to illustrate the connection between pollinators and the food system.
Cook County Farm Bureau Supports the Community
Throughout 2022, Cook County Farm Bureau® has remained engaged with and committed to partnering with and supporting local farmers, students, and local non-profits.
Support for farmers
Cook County Farm Bureau continues to support farmers through marketing enhancement programs like Live Local, Shop Local, Discover Local guides, and Local Farm Products website search function all resources designed to connect consumers to farmers and local produce. These resources are available at cookcfb.org.
Record Turkey Prices Expected as Thanksgiving Approaches
Families can expect to pay record high prices at the grocery store for turkey this upcoming holiday season thanks to the impacts of the bird flu and inflation. American Farm Bureau Federation economists analyzed turkey and egg costs in their latest Market Intel.
At The Farm Gate
Farmers feed the need for nutrients
Like humans, crops have dietary needs. And just as food prices have soared, fertilizers that provide nutrients for crops have nearly tripled since 2020.
Dear Voting and Associate Members,
We would like to personally thank you on behalf of the board and staff for renewing your membership in the Cook County Farm Bureau®. Recent years have been difficult for many of our members and now inflation is hitting hard for many of you.
Recipe of the Month
Creamy Chestnut & Shitake Mushroom Soup
Recipe printed with permission from member, Gibby's Gourmet Mushrooms, LLC.
Downwind
Cold, snow, wind, and weather discomfort season are approaching. For me, this also means biscuits and gravy season. The season is best survived from the comfort of a country café or one’s own kitchen.