Guebert: Looking forward to 2021

Plenty of people are ready to close the door on 2020, and we at Farm Bureau are looking forward to 2021. Our Board Action Report, reviewed and approved by the IFB Board of Directors, laid out our plans and the foundation we needed as we move into our priorities for 2021.

One win I want to look back on and savor is the defeat of the progressive income tax. I am extremely proud of the campaign we ran to defeat the progressive income tax constitutional amendment tax question. We focused on the issues, IFB policy and facts to educate our members and voters across the state.

This election outcome truly shows that your vote matters. It is also a testament to IFB’s grassroots process that enables members to unite behind our policies and together make a real impact on critically important matters in the state.

But even with this victory, we know there is still hard work to be done. IFB will continue to work with policy makers in Springfield to change our state’s fiscal habits.

This includes addressing the ever-mounting backlog of unpaid bills and the underfunding of our state’s pension system that continues to drain financial resources.

We thank all members who participated in and supported our campaign. And as our work continues, we encourage you to stay involved in these important issues.

Illinois Farm Bureau will be at the table for many critical conversations now and into the future, including how farmers can positively contribute to the conversation surrounding climate and conversation programs.

A year ago, IFB delegates approved updated grassroots policy language regarding climate. Our Board Action Report, released in August, identified climate and conservation programs as a priority and IFB continues to explore ideas related to carbon storage in the soil through soil health improvement practices, carbon trading and payments for ecosystem services.

These concepts are similarly highlighted in the new Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance report released on Nov. 17 with American Farm Bureau Federation at the forefront. The report includes 40 recommendations that fall under three principles: supporting voluntary, market- and incentive-based policies to advance science-based outcomes.

The announcement of FACA is another step at the national level to bring American farmers together to highlight the great work already being done to reduce greenhouse gases, but also to ensure we, as conservationists and stewards of the land, stay at the forefront of sustainability.

We look forward to advocating on behalf of Illinois farmers, especially as we convey to policymakers and partners that for climate policies to be successful, farmers must be involved in their development through a seat at the table, and they must see the benefits and be compensated for their efforts.

In closing, Home for the Holidays will definitely take on a different theme this year. We know that current circumstances and caution about traditional holiday gatherings may dampen spirits this upcoming season.

But this doesn’t mean we have to completely forego celebrations. Through Home for the Holidays, we hope to encourage upholding holiday traditions — both new and old — while we spend a bit more time at home.

One way we are doing this is by asking our social media followers to participate in a holiday recipe share, which will provide an opportunity for our followers to share their favorite holiday recipes and the stories and people behind them. Photos and stories will be compiled on IFB's Facebook page through the holiday season.

While the pandemic has altered many plans in 2020, what it hasn’t taken away is the ability to gather with our family at the dinner table and to offer thanks for the many blessings in our lives.

Richard Guebert Jr. is the president of Illinois Farm Bureau. His family farm in Randolph County grows corn, soybeans and wheat.