(BLOOMINGTON) The 324 delegates at Illinois Farm Bureau’s 111th Annual Meeting held earlier this month, thoroughly worked through a broad range of proposals, adopting changes to 34 policies. Among the top moves, the delegates reversed a previous position of the organization, voting to remove utility and pipeline policy that supported legislation prohibiting the use of eminent domain for CO2 (carbon dioxide) pipelines. The delegates also amended IFB’s policy to support “ongoing” training and equipement donations for first responders near pipelines. After successful legislative efforts on nuisance deer management last year, delegates approved an amended change to support classifying raccoons, groundhogs, and beavers, alongside coyotes and striped skunks, recommending that they all can be hunted year-round. The delegates also adopted a policy to address the growing presence of data centers and similar facilities in rural communities, reflecting concerns about land use, water resources, and energy reliability.
