By Carrie Muehling
NORMAL – 1st Farm Credit Services is supporting agricultural organizations throughout the state for a fifth year.
The association will distribute $125,000 from a donor advised fund to 16 groups in 2015.
“We’ve been conscious of looking at how can we broaden our group of organizations that we can support to help all types of ag. Illinois is primarily a corn and soybean state. We want to definitely support those commodities in our state. But there are other types of agriculture in the state of Illinois, and other groups. We want to make sure we’re trying to touch everybody we can,” said Gary Ash, president and CEO of 1st Farm Credit Services.
Groups and programs funded in 2015 include the University of Illinois, Illinois State University, Western Illinois University, Northern Illinois University’s School for Local Food Planning and Technical Assistance Program, John Wood Community College, Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom, Illinois Ag Leadership Foundation, Illinois FFA, Illinois 4-H, AgrAbility Unlimited, Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation, Annie’s Project, Illinois Agri-Women: Women Changing the Face of Agriculture, good food Accelerator and the Illinois Harvest Dinner.
1st Farm Credit Services established the fund through the IAA Foundation in 2010. To date, the association has distributed $569,500 to 20 organizations.
Carrie Muehling can be reached at carrie@wjbc.com.
