Illinois Commodity Boards to Elect New Members

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Eligible producers who would like to run for a three-year term on either the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, the Illinois Soybean Program Operating Board (d/b/a Illinois Soybean Association), the Illinois Sheep and Wool Marketing Board or the Check Off Division of the Illinois Beef Association Board of Governors now can pick-up nominating petitions.

"These self-help programs fund market development, public education and research programs that promote consumption of our agricultural commodities," Illinois Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke said.  "I encourage farmers who would like a voice in these important decisions to pass a petition and gather the required number of signatures to get their name on the election ballot."

Producers wanting to run for the corn, soybean and sheep and wool boards can obtain petitions from either their county Extension office or the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Candidates for the beef board must write to the Illinois Beef Association, 2060 W. Iles Avenue, Suite B, Springfield, Ill., 62704.

The deadline to return completed petitions is May 15 for the corn and soybean boards, May 31 for the sheep and wool board and June 1 for the beef board.

Producers must be at least 18 years old, have produced and marketed the pertinent commodity, reside in the district to be represented and have submitted a petition by the filing deadline to be a candidate for the corn, soybean or sheep and wool board. Eligibility requirements differ for the beef board. In addition to residing in Illinois and filing a complete petition by the deadline, its directors must have been beef producers for at least five years before their election and are limited to two consecutive terms.
Elections for all four boards will be held July 3. For more information, call the Illinois Department of Agriculture at (217) 782-6675 or write to: Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Marketing and Promotion, P.O. Box 19281, State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill., 62794-9281.

A list of counties holding commodity elections follows:

 ILLINOIS CORN MARKETING BOARD
District 3: Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Rock Island, Warren
District 6: Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, Vermilion
District 9: Adams, Brown, Hancock, McDonough, Pike, Schuyler
District 12: Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Jasper
District 15: Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, Williamson

ILLINOIS SOYBEAN PROGRAM OPERATING BOARD (D/B/A ILLINOIS SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION)

District 3: Henderson, Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, Stark, Warren, Whiteside
District 4: Bureau, Grundy, Kendall, LaSalle
District 6: Livingston, McLean, Woodford
District 8: Adams, Brown, Hancock, McDonough, Schuyler
District 15: Clinton, Madison, Monroe, St. Clair
District 18: Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Williamson

ILLINOIS SHEEP AND WOOL MARKETING BOARD
District 3: Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Knox, McDonough, Mercer,
Rock Island, Warren
District 6: Christian, DeWitt, Logan, Macon, Mason, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Moultrie, Sangamon, Shelby

ILLINOIS BEEF BOARD OF GOVERNORS
District 1:  Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Ogle
District 2:  Whiteside, Lee, Henry, Bureau, Stark, Putnam, Marshall
District 3:  Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Dekalb, Kane, DuPage, Cook, LaSalle,                       Kendall, Grundy, Will, Kankakee
District 4:  Rock Island, Mercer, Henderson, Warren, Knox, Hancock, McDonough,                 Fulton, Adams
District 5:  Peoria, Woodford, Tazewell, Schuyler, Mason, Logan, Brown, Cass, Menard,                    Pike, Scott, Morgan, Sangamon, Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin,                                  Montgomery, Christian
District 6:  Livingston, Ford, Iroquois, McLean, Dewitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion,                         Macon, Shelby, Moultrie, Douglas, Edgar, Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Fayette,                    Effingham, Clay, Jasper, Richland, Crawford, Lawrence
District 7:  Madison, Bond, St. Clair, Clinton, Marion, Monroe, Washington, Jefferson,                       Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, White,                              Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin,                                  Alexander, Pulaski, Massac