RFD Today April 17, 2024

State Rep. Maurice West of Rockford discusses his support of the Family Farm Preservation Act.We get a CropWatcher report from Lee Elliott in Jasper County.The IAA Foundation's Jennifer Smith highlights 2024 scholarship recipients.  Commstock Investments Joe Camp previews a new market week.  

Friday's show features our "Seven with Kevin" segment with Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities Kevin Semlow.We highlight the Rockridge FFA program, which worked with 500 elementary school students this week. We visit with Trey and Aiden Sayers, who own and operate Sayers Brothers Cards in downtown Shelbyville. The baseball card shop was the result of a school CEO project.  

We talk mental health subjects with licensed professional counselor Rachel Brown. Darin Copeland discusses Prairie Farms Dairy lactose-free options. We get an IL Corn update from Brad Stotler.Matt Montgomery provides a Pioneer agronomy segment. 

We hear from Curt Strubhar of Advanced Trading. He is a member of the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois and also serves on the Ag Advisory Council of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).We also highlight the Illinois Farm Bureau docuseries "Fields Apart: Rooted Together" with Mark Tuttle.

Jenna Spychal with the Illinois Specialty Growers Association provides her monthly visit and also talks business at Jonamac Orchard.  We hear from new Midwest Dairy CEO Corey Scott.Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford details a number hail events already impacting Illinois this spring.  

We visit with Kate Jungmann, a recipient of an Experience Award from the Illinois 4H office.We talk periodical cicadas with University of Illinois horticulture educator Ken Johnson.FarmWeekNow’s Rhiannon Branch provides a View from the Cab Segment with Fayette County Farm Bureau president Keith Sanders. Commstock Investments Joe Camp previews a new market week.   

Friday's show features our "Seven with Kevin" segment with Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities Kevin Semlow.  We talk local government with Ryan Tate, Illinois Farm BureauAssociate Director of Local Government.We learn about becoming an IHSA licensed official with 17-year-old Trenton Kirgan from Knoxville High School.  Montgomery County Farm Bureau Manager Katie Wilson chats with Bond-Fayette County Farm Bureau Manager Katie Albert in her monthly Manager-to-Manager segment.  

Illinois Farm Bureau Associate Director of Food Systems Development Raghela Scavuzzo discusses a agritourism webinar series available this spring.  Kris Reynolds with American Farmland Trust provides an update.Courtney McFarlin with OSF Healthcare discusses elder care as it relates to the family farm. We get a Pioneer agronomy segment from southeastern Illinois with Jeremiah Jones.  

Wednesday's show features a conversation with Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan.We get an update from Matt Jungmann on this year's Farm Progress Show.  FCAE's Luke Allen talks all things ag education. We highlight this weekend's Midwest Horse Fair.  

Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello makes his monthly visit on the program. We chat with Gracelynn Dale, Bureau County Farm Bureau Member and Deanne Frieders, DeKalb County Farm Bureau Member about their experience in the American Farm Bureau Federation Women's Communications Boot Camp.   DTN ag meteorologist John Baranick talks severe weather potential for Tuesday.