Items in this listserv:

HOT TOPIC:

• Chapter Strategic Plan:  You must submit a Chapter Strategic Plan ( Pre POA) by October 1 to receive any credit in Section E of the IFGA.  The FFA Chapter can use any format they prefer, but all plans received must be sent electronically.  NO paper copies are needed.  

Steps to complete the Illinois FFA Chapter Strategic Plan Process: 

1.  ALL FFA Chapters MUST Click here

2. ALL FFA Chapters MUST Answer the first 5 questions of the form.

3. EITHER upload your own plan OR complete the form you have opened created by the Illinois FFA Center.

4. ALL Chapters MUST open this form REGARDLESS of what format the Chapter Strategic Plan is in.

5.  Here are the Questions on the Chapter Strategic Plan form.  

Questions, email mbunselmeyer@illinoisffa.org

DISCLAIMER - If your school does NOT  allow access to uploading to Google forms, please email your Chapter Strategic Plan to intern@illinoisffa.org by October 1.

As a reminder, the Chapter Strategic Plan (Pre - POA) is due October 1.

****NEW Information****

1.  2nd Annual WATER TESTING CHALLENGE MARCH - OCTOBER 13, 2023

2. Half Century of Progress Toolbox Auction

3. Pork and Pigskins Competition

4. Illinois and American Agri-Women at the Farm Progress Show 

5. Farm Progress Show Opportunity with Titan Tire

6. Membership Memos

1.  2nd Annual WATER TESTING CHALLENGE MARCH - OCTOBER 13, 2023

IL Corn & IL Soybean Associations have teamed up to offer a water

testing initiative challenge.  FFA chapters will develop and test hypotheses about nitrogen movement and potential loss from various production agricultural field

settings. Participants will need to identify a minimum of 3 different

locations with differing water sources and management styles at each

Site.  Once all the information has been collected, you will pick one (or more)

of the locations tested and create a report explaining your process,

hypothesis, results and providing some best management practice

recommendations moving forward.  The sample may take place in the spring, FALL, or a combination of the two.

Examples:

• Water from a tile line from a no-till soybean field

• Surface run-off from a conventionally tilled cornfield

• Water from a creek next to a corn field planted with cover crops

• Water from tile lines from 2 neighboring corn fields; one with a cover crop and one without

• Water from a tile line and it was a tilled soybean field

How to Participate:  Notify Megan Dwyer at mdwyer@ilcorn.org or 309.200.5163. They will send you everything you need including test strips, background on the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, and details explaining what to include in your final report.

Prizes:

• 1st $2,500

• 2nd $1,250

• 3rd $1,250

• 4th - 10th $1,000

2.  Half Century of Progress Toolbox Auction

STOR-LOC FFA Auction is Saturday, August 26, 2023, at 4:00 PM in  The Entertainment Tent at the Half Century of Progress Show, Rantoul National Aviation Center Rantoul, IL. All proceeds will be split among the Illinois and Indiana FFA organizations! The Half Century of Progress Show is the premier working vintage farm show in the U.S.  Held the weekend before the Decatur Farm Progress Show, the Half Century of Progress allows visitors to experience what farming and agriculture was like 50 years ago and beyond with live demonstrations, attractions, and fellowship.  Visit the Half Century of Progress website:  http://www.halfcenturyofprogress.com/

3. Pork and Pigskins Competition

The Illinois Pork Producers and IHSA are hosting the Third Annual Pork and Pigskins State Championships.  The IHSA is excited to start its third year working with the IPPA and its third edition of the Pork and Pigskins State Championship.  The Pork and Pigskins State Championship is a season-long competition to find the best pork chop sandwich served at Illinois high school concession stands.  CLICK HERE for more information.  In this year’s championship, they will be expanding the program to include all pork items sold at concession stands.

4. Illinois and American Agri-Women at the Farm Progress Show 

Illinois and American Agri-Women will be hosting desserts and conversation open house style for all women in ag. of all ages on August 30th from 1-3 p.m. at the Golden Harvest tent, 427. Encourage your FFA members to joining them for:  Walks of Women and Coffee Chats

Prizes will be given out at 3:15 p.m. for those who posted their pictures with AAW’s signage on social media.

There will be four short (6 minute micro burst) topics related to professional development, influencing policy, and upcoming opportunities throughout the timeframe.  

5. Farm Progress Show Opportunity with Titan Tire

Titan is calling all local FFA chapters for help during this year’s Farm Progress Show. “Come hang out with us and our numerous brand ambassadors while we sell t-shirts, manage multiple activities, take pictures of attendees and their families, and MUCH more.”

Click below to sign up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0944a4a829a3fe3-farm#/

They pay $25.00/hour per kid for your FFA chapter.  

Please reach out to Kristen Goings, included on this email, if any questions.

kristen.goings@titan-intl.com

6.  Membership Memos

As an FFA family, so many of you have been there for each other and those of us at the FFA Center, we can’t begin to tell you how much that means to us and what you have expressed it means to you as well.  On behalf of the Illinois FFA Center and the IAVAT Member Services Committee I want to remind you of the  Membership Memo LINK on the www.ilaged.org website.  If you click: 

• Teach

• About IAVAT 

• Membership Memos - mid-page in a box on the right side of the page.   

Please complete this form if you would like to notify the Illinois FFA Center about an event in the lives of someone in our FFA Family.  We have Sympathy, Get Well, Congratulations and Baby cards, please let us know who needs a note or memo for a pick me up or a celebration.  Thanks so much for taking the time to care and share for those in our agricultural education family.  

**** PREVIOUS Information Shared - WORTH Sharing Again****

• CLICK HERE to view

• 2023-24 CDE/LDE Calendar

*Please NOTE, that if you click on Dates & Deadlines it will take you to the www.ilaged.org calendar.  

• August 19, 2023 - St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Tickets Late Fee Begins

• August 28, 2023 - St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Tickets Registration CLOSES

• August 29-31, 2023 - Farm Progress Show, Decatur, IL

• September 1, 2023 - IL FFA Center Closing at 12:30 for Holiday

• September 4, 2023 - IL FFA Center CLOSED for Labor Day Holiday

• September 6, 2023 - Western Illinois University Greenhand Conference, University Union, 1 University Cir, Macomb, IL 61455 - Registration Form

• September 7, 2023 - District III STAR Conference, John Wood Community College - new Agricultural Sciences Complex - 37803 St Hwy 104, Baylis, IL

• September 8, 2023 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Horse CDE to IL FFA Center 

• September 9, 2023 - Mandatory Registration ends for State Horse Reasons CDE Registration

• September 9, 2023 - Early Bird Registration ends for State Horse Non-Reasons CDE Registration

• September 12, 2023 - Registration for Elite Conference Due

• September 12, 2023 - District I Star Conference, Black Hawk College - Vet Sciences Bldg - 26230 Black Hawk Road, Galva, IL 61434

• September 13, 2023 - District II Star Conference, Joliet Junior College - Main Campus, U Building - Main Campus, 1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, IL

• September 14, 2023 - District IV Star Conference, Lake Land College –5001 Lake Land Blvd, Mattoon, IL 

• September 15, 2023 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Forestry CDE to IL FFA Center 

• September 16, 2023 - Early Bird Registration ends for State Forestry CDE

• September 17, 2023 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies Baseball Game, IL Foundation FFA Fundraiser, Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO

• September 18 - 22, 2023 - Chapter Visits in Sections 18 and 19

• September 22, 2023 - Elite Conference, Heartland College, 1500 W Raab Rd, Normal, IL 61761

• September 23, 2023 - State Horse CDE, Black Hawk College East Campus, 26230 Black Hawk Rd, Galva, IL

• September 27, 2023 - Illinois FFA Center Closed for Office Cleanout Day

• September 30, 2023 - State Forestry CDE, SIU College of Agricultural Sciences, 1205 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901

• October 1, 2023 - Chapter Strategic Plan DUE - Click here

• October 1, 2023 - FFA Rosters Due

• October 9, 2023 - IL FFA Center CLOSED for Holiday

• October 12 - 13, 2023 - IACCAI Conference, Heartland Community College, Bloomington, IL

• October 31, 2023 - IAVAT & IACCAI Dues Deadline

• November 1-4, 2023 - National FFA Convention, Indianapolis, IN

• November 3, 2023 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Ag Sales CDE to IL FFA Center 

• November 4, 2023 - State Ag Sales Results Due

• November 6, 2023 - BUILD Conference Registration Closes

• November 8, 2023 - Illinois FFA Alumni & Supporters Scholarships Applications Due for WLC & Ground Zero Conference

• November 10, 2023 - IL FFA Center CLOSED for Holiday

• November 18, 2023 - State Ag Sales, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• November 22, 2023 - IL FFA Center Closing at 12:30 for Holiday

• November 23-24, 2023 - IL FFA Center CLOSED for Holiday

• November 24, 2023 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Dairy Foods and State Agronomy CDEs to IL FFA Center 

• December 9, 2023 - State Agronomy & Dairy Foods CDEs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL