Nelson speaks of ag's challenges

Phil Nelson gives the keynote address at the Illinois Association of Ag Fairs Convention.

SPRINGFIELD – The former president of the Illinois Farm Bureau and past director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture addressed the challenges agriculture faces at the recent Illinois county fair convention in Springfield.

Phil Nelson spoke to those attending the keynote breakfast in January during the annual meeting of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. Nelson covered issues facing the industry and some of the attacks taking place on agriculture.

“We’ve got to do a better job of telling our story,” Nelson said.

As Congress prepares to write another farm bill, Nelson has been through five farm bills and has noticed each one getting more challenging to reach across the aisle to get funding.

Nelson is no stranger to the fair scene in Illinois as his family has shown at county fairs for four decades – growing up at the fair.

“I like to say I’m a product of the county fairs because we grew up on a dairy farm in the northeastern part of LaSalle County,” Nelson told The Central Illinois Farm Network.

Nelson was joined by his youngest son at the recent IAAF Convention as the rest of his family had to stay back to do chores at home.