Western Illinois University Collegiate Farm Bureau Expands Farmer Appreciation Efforts

For the eighth consecutive year, the Western Illinois University Collegiate Farm Bureau has supported local farmers through their annual Harvest Bag project.

Collegiate Farm Bureau members worked together to assemble more than 200 bags, each containing water, snacks and a thank you note. After preparing the bags, members split into groups and delivered them to farmers in four counties during harvest.

“When you think about it, not many farmers get recognition for going out in the field during harvest and spending pretty much every day, all day, there for weeks,” said Western Illinois Collegiate Farm Bureau President Kaitlin Tapley. “This is our way of showing those farmers that we appreciate them and what they do for the world.”

New this year, the chapter expanded their project beyond McDonough County to include Schuyler, Fulton and Adams counties. The Harvest Bag project was made possible through a $500 grant awarded by the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers mini-grant program. The grant supports Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters in recruitment, leadership development, community service outreach, officer development, purchase of educational materials and/or registration costs for conferences.

“This mini-grant is what helps our chapter continue to give back and help farmers want to continue to be in the agriculture industry,” said Tapley.

Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant Program

The 2024-2025 AFBF Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant program is open for applications through noon on Sept. 18. For more information about the program, including how to apply, visit fb.org/cfbgrants or email yfr@fb.org.

Since the program’s launch in fall 2017, AFBF has awarded over 70 mini-grants.

Collegiate Farm Bureau

There are over 120 Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters across the U.S., focused on empowering students to be united voices for agriculture, while building skills in leadership and communications, facilitating networking opportunities and offering scholarships.

Kylie Schakel was a summer 2024 intern in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Communications and Executive Departments. She is a senior at Kansas State University.