The Illinois Council on Best Management Practices (CBMP) held its annual meeting on Friday, March 6 and elected new officers for 2015. The offices of president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary will now all be held by farmers representing ag organizations. Illinois Corn Growers Association board member Andy Bartlow will serve as CBMP vice-president.

President

Chris Hausman - Illinois Farm Bureau

A farmer from Pesotum in Champaign County, was elected to the Illinois Farm Bureau State Board of Directors in 2006 to represent District 12, which includes Champaign, Douglas, Edgar and Vermilion Counties.  He is chairman of the National Affairs and Marketing Committee, and serves on the Audit Committee, the Budget Committee and on the Gardner Chair Policy Advisory Committee.  He also serves on the COUNTRY Trust Bank Board, the IAA and COUNTRY Governance Committees and the previous Vice-President of CBMP.

Vice-President 

Andy Bartlow - Illinois Corn Growers Association

A farmer from Macomb in McDonough County, is the Illinois Corn Growers District 9 director representing Hancock, McDonough, Adams, Brown, Pike, and Schuyler counties in Western Illinois.  Andy is a fourth generation farmer who currently grows corn and soybeans with his father at the family farm located outside of Augusta, IL.  The operation is approximately 60% corn and 40% soybeans across three counties in Western Illinois.  Andy also is a seed dealer representing the DeKalb and Asgrow seed brands to various growers across Illinois.  Prior to returning to the family farm in 2012, Andy spent 17 years working for Monsanto and DuPont in multiple sales roles in the seed and chemical industry.

Treasurer

David Droste – Illinois Soybean Association

A farmer from Nashville in Washington County, is treasurer and a district director for the Illinois Soybean Association.  He has served on the Washington County Farm Bureau board, Washington

County Soil and Water Conservation District board, Illinois Farm Bureau Ag Leaders of Tomorrow, Southwestern Illinois Resource Conservation & Development Council and the current Treasurer of CBMP. 

Secretary

Todd Dail – Illinois Pork Producers Association

A farmer from Erie in Whiteside County, has served as president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) during 2014. He has served three terms on the IPPA board, in which he has served six years as an At-Large Director. He also previously served as President-Elect for two years and has been the Marketing Committee and Industry Services Committee chair. Todd was a delegate to the National Pork Forum and has been on several legislative trips to Washington D.C. Todd is a 2008 graduate of the National Pork Board Pork Leadership Academy.

“CBMP’s goal is to promote enhanced nutrient stewardship and implementation of voluntary agricultural best management practices (BMPs) and this is a priority for Illinois farmers,” said Hausman. “I am thrilled to serve as president of this organization and to help educate farmers across Illinois on BMPs.”

To support CBMP’s goal, the council recently received a $690,000 grant from the Nutrient Research Education Council (NREC) to fund the Keep it for the Crop (KIC) Education and Outreach Program. The KIC program will allow CBMP an opportunity to educate farmers on a variety of ways to reduce nutrient losses and improve water quality while using the goals outlined in the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy as a roadmap.    

The Illinois Council on Best Management Practices, a non-profit 501-c (5) organization, was formed in 1998. Its mission is to assist and encourage adoption of best management practices to protect and enhance natural resources and the sustainability of agriculture in Illinois. Member organizations include Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Syngenta Crop Protection, Monsanto and GROWMARK.

For information on current CBMP projects, visit www.illinoiscbmp.org.