In early December, Illinois Farm Bureau recognized several instances of service excellence to Illinois agriculture at the annual meeting in Chicago.

Former IFB president Philip Nelson was named the recipient of the 2014 IFB Charles B. Shuman Distinguished Service Award. The award is the highest given by IFB. Nelson received the award in recognition of his life-long support of agriculture both here in Illinois and across the country.

Philip Nelson

Nelson served as vice president of the American Soybean Association from 1993-1994, chairman of the American Farm Bureau Federation Swine Advisory Committee from 1997-2000, and was elected to the AFBF board of directors in 2004 and served with distinction until 2014. He also served as the chair of the AFBF Trade Advisory Committee from 2009-2011.

Nelson also has represented farmers on the USDA's first Biotechnology Advisory Committee, as a member of the Federal Grain Inspection Service Advisory committee and most recently on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products.

From 2003 to 2013, Nelson served as the 14th IFB president. Prior to his election as president, he served as vice president from 1999 to 2003. As president of the Illinois Agricultural Association, he served as the full time executive office of the organization and president of Country Financial, Illinois Agricultural Service Company and the IAA Foundation. He also served on the Coordinating Committee of Growmark.

Nelson has been awarded numerous awards and honors, including the Illinois Association FFA Star Farmer in 1977 and AFBF Outstanding Young Farmer in 1984. He also won the 1983 IFB state Achievement Award and won the IFB state discussion meet in 1986, and was named a Prairie Farmer Master Farmer in 2001.

Nelson is a 1982 graduate of the Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow program, a 1984 graduate of the Illinois Ag Leadership Program, and received an associate's degree in Agriculture Production from Joliet Junior College. A fourth generation farmer, Nelson runs a diversified grain and livestock farm near Seneca, with the help of his wife, Carmen, and their three children, Kendall, Rachel and Kyle.

The IFB's Distinguished Service Award honors the memory and service of Charles Shuman, a revered Moultrie County farm leader who served as president of both IFB and of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Eagle Award for Excellence
David Miller of Chicago and Robert Weldon of Normal were named recipients of the 2014 Illinois Farm Bureau Eagle Award for Excellence.

Miller, who is currently serving as president and CEO of Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization, (iBIO and iBIO Institute), has been a strong advocate for agriculture and the agribusiness industry at the state and national level.

Through his work at iBIO, Miller has helped create and advance industry policies on all food and agriculture biotechnology issues related to state, national and international affairs, government relations, science and regulatory affairs, and media and public affairs.

Weldon, who is retired, served as the chief fiscal officer of IFB and its affiliated insurance companies, and was treasurer of the four IAA Trust Mutual Funds. Weldon also served as treasurer of the IAA Trust Company, Illinois Agricultural Auditing Association, Illinois Agricultural Holding Company, AgriVisor Services, Inc., and was treasurer and director of the Illinois Agricultural Service Company.

The IFB Eagle Award for Excellence provides IFB with an opportunity to recognize an individual or organization for excellence on issues or programs important to Farm Bureau and to agriculture on a statewide and/or national basis.   

Source: IFB