CANDIDATES FOR THREE ILLINOIS COMMODITY BOARDS ANNOUNCED

The Illinois Department of Agriculture today announced the candidates vying for seats on three commodity boards. Producers will vote July 10 to determine members of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, the Illinois Soybean Program Operating Board and the Illinois Sheep and Wool Marketing Board.
Anyone who produces and markets commodities the boards represent is eligible to vote. Ballots may be cast at county Cooperative Extension Offices during regular operating hours.
“Commodity boards decide which industry promotions and research projects get funded with state checkoff dollars,” Acting Agriculture Director Bob Flider said. “The the best way for producers to have a voice in how those dollars are spent is by going to the polls July 10.”
Checkoff dollars come from assessments levied at the first point of sale. State law sets the assessment for corn at 5/8 of 1 cent per bushel, the assessment for soybeans at 1/2 of 1 percent of market value and the assessment for sheep and wool at 2 1/2 cents per pound.
Write-in candidates are permitted for all three boards. However, the Soybean Program Operating Board and Corn Marketing Board both require write-ins to file a “Declaration of Intent” with the Director of Agriculture by 5 p.m. on July 3. A declaration of intent form can be obtained by contacting the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Absentee ballots will become available June 11 and must be returned to the department by July 6.
Following is a complete list of the commodity districts holding elections this year, the counties they include and the name and hometown of each of the announced candidates thus far.
ILLINOIS CORN MARKETING BOARD
Candidate and Hometown
District 2 - Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Carroll and Ogle Counties
Candidate - Lou Lamoreux, Lanark
District 5 - LaSalle, Grundy, Livingston and Kankakee Counties
Candidate - Paul Jeschke, Mazon
District 8 - Peoria, Tazewell, Fulton, Mason, Cass, Menard and Logan Counties
Candidate - Kent Kleinschmidt, Emden
District 11- Christian, Montgomery, Shelby, Fayette and Effingham Counties
Write-in candidate
District 14 - Madison, Bond, St. Clair, Clinton, Monroe and Washington Counties
Candidate - Larry Hasheider, Okawville
SHEEP AND WOOL MARKETING BOARD
District 2 - Kendall, Will, Grundy, Kankakee,Livingston, Ford, Iroquois, Champaign, Vermilion, Piatt, Douglas, Edgar, Coles, Cumberland and Clark
Candidate - Harold Davis, Odell (write-in candidate)
District 5 - Adams, Schuyler, Brown, Cass, Pike, Scott, Morgan, Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin Counties
Candidate - Lance Steckel, Winchester (write-in candidate)
ILLINOIS SOYBEAN PROGRAM OPERATING BOARD
District 2 - McHenry, Lake, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Will and Kankakee Counties
Candidate - Duane Dahlman, Marengo (write-in candidate)
District 10 - Dewitt, Macon, Christian, Moultrie and Shelby Counties
Candidate - Jered Hooker, Clinton (write-in candidate)
District 11 - Piatt, Champaign, Douglas, Edgar and Coles Counties
Candidate - Wendel Lutz, Dewey (write-in candidate)
District 14 - Cumberland, Clark, Effingham, Jasper and Crawford Counties
Candidate - Donald Guinnip, Marshall
District 16 - Clay, Richland, Lawrence, Wayne, Edwards, White and Wabash Counties
Candidate - Timothy Scates, Carmi (write-in candidate)
District 17 - Randolph, Washington, Jefferson, Perry and Jackson Counties
Candidate - David Droste, Nashville (write-in candidate)