Farm Bureau members learned how to put democracy to work through advocacy during the organization’s annual Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference (GALC), held on Feb. 18 in Springfield. Local, state political leaders and legislators met with Farm Bureau leaders from across the state, including 10 members of McLean County Farm Bureau, to discuss IFB’s 2025 legislative priorities.
The event culminated in a legislative reception elected officials, who met with IFB members.
“As an organization, the most powerful thing we can do is connect our members with lawmakers,” said IFB President Brian Duncan. “Our members consistently make an impact on policy by giving legislators a true, boots-on-the-ground expert in agriculture.”
The annual conference, themed “Democracy at Work,” highlighted that good government takes continuous effort of engaging with legislators, regulatory agencies and fellow citizens. The event also shared IFB’s national and state legislative priorities and provided insights from nationally recognized speakers.
This year’s keynote speaker was Reince Priebus, former White House chief of staff (2017). He discussed behind the scenes stories from the campaign to the White House and provided a candid look at the inner workings of the new administration. The afternoon keynote speaker was Nathan Gonzalez, editor and publisher of Inside Elections, a newsletter providing nonpartisan analysis of U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial campaigns, presidential politics and political developments. Gonzalez offered an examination of the current condition of electoral politics
Breakout sessions featured experts on topics including a national legislative update, underground safety, livestock, policy development, renewable fuels and more.
“Every year, our members demonstrate both depth of knowledge on key ag topics and a desire to grow and absorb the latest information on emerging issues,” said Duncan. “That’s what makes GALC successful, and that’s why so many key legislators go out of their way to meet and partner with our members.”
