Items in this listserv:

HOT TOPICS - REMINDERS:  

• 2023 Illinois FFA State Officer Candidates click here to view the candidate resume’ booklet and click here to view the candidate introduction video.   

• State Convention Farm Credit Newsroom Application DUE May 15, 2023- STUDENTS NEEDED!

• State Convention Courtesy Corps Application DUE May 15, 2023 - CHAPTERS NEEDED!  

• Ed Curry Scholarship Application DUE May 15, 2023

• 2023 Illinois FFA Dave Cain Photography Contest Click here to submit your photos by Friday, May 19, 2023.   

• FY24 Fair Contract DUE May 24, 2023 - Upload to Chapter Contracts at www.ilaged.org

****NEW Information**** - THIS IS A LONG one - BE SURE TO READ ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM!

1. Calling ALL Delegates, they MUST be signed up by May 30, 2023!  

2. Illinois FFA State, Band, Chorus and Drumline Announcement

3. 2023 National FFA Scholarship Winners from Illinois FFA

4. 2023 Illinois FFA Section & Chapter Reporter Awards

5. Food Allergies/Vegetarian Meals for State FFA Convention & IAVAT Conference

6. IAVAT Service Awards

7. State Ag Communication CDE

8. State Ag Issues Registration CDE

9. State Greenhand Quiz Bowl Competition

10. Farm Progress Show Soils Judging Contest

11. Illinois FFA License Plate - Information you have been waiting for!!

12.  2023 Illinois FFA Chapter President Awards Sponsored by Illinois Farm Bureau

1.  Calling ALL Delegates, they MUST be signed up by May 30, 2023!  

Delegates (up to 2 members from each chapter) will be able to attend a virtual business session on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. 

Business Session and Elections Session, Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 7:30 a.m.  Delegate registration must be completed by May 30, 2023, to reserve their free convention t-shirt for serving as a delegate.  Please click here for the Delegate registration form.  NOTICE:  Even if your delegates will be in person for ELECTIONS on June 15, 2023, ALL DELEGATES MUST be registered via our Google form.  ALL delegates will be using their own electronic device for voting again this year, we WILL NOT have clickers for voting during elections.  

EVEN if you haven’t registered for the convention yet, you MUST sign up your delegates by May 30, 2023.  Sign them up now and complete your registration another time or even on-site if you have to, but get those delegates assigned on the Google form in this message.  

When will our Chapter Delegates get their delegate t-shirt? Each delegate will have a coupon in the convention registration packet to redeem at the FFA Alumni booth for their Convention T-Shirt.  Please have them get their convention shirts on Tuesday or early Wednesday to get the t-shirt size they want before they are sold out.  Alumni will be selling convention t-shirts as well as other merchandise again this year.  

2.  Illinois FFA State, Band, Chorus and Drumline Announcement

Congratulations to the following FFA members, we are thrilled to have such great participation at State Convention, our FFA members are incredibly talented and for that, we are very grateful.  Click here to see who those dedicated members are and their schedule for State Convention.  

3. 2023 National FFA Scholarship Winners from Illinois FFA

WOW, Illinois FFA members earned over $152,000 in scholarships through their FFA journey.  CONGRATULATIONS to these Illinois FFA members. 

4.  2023 Illinois FFA Section & Chapter Reporter Awards

Congratulations to these Outstanding Reporters!  Click here to view all reporter application results.  **AGAIN this year -  The Gold and Silver Section and Chapter Reporters will bring in the Flags prior to Opening Ceremonies for Session 1 at the 95th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention.  Section and Chapter Reporters will be recognized at the 95th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention during the 2nd General Session that begins at 6:30 p.m.  Click here to view the 2023 Illinois FFA State Convention agenda.   

***NEW this year - The Top 5 Section Reporters and the Top 10 Chapter Reporters were also invited as special guests to the Illinois Farm News Association luncheon held in conjunction with the 95th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. in B4 of the Bank of Springfield Center.  

5. State FFA Convention & IAVAT Conference - Food Allergies/Vegetarian Meals

FFA Advisors/Students that are attending the American Degree Dinner, State Awards Lunch, or in band/chorus and you have food allergies or require a vegetarian meal, please complete this link by June 1, 2023.  IAVAT Conference Food Allergies/Vegetarian Meals link for anyone attending, please complete by June 1, 2023.

6.  IAVAT Service Awards - Here is a listing of the 2023 IAVAT Service Awards. The IAVAT recognizes IAVAT membership in 5-year increments at the annual IAVAT Conference. Click here to review the listing of 2023 IAVAT Service Award recipients. If you have any questions or see that an individual has been omitted, please contact Lori Copsy at lcopsy@illinoisffa.org.

7. State Ag Communications CDE Mandatory Registration is Open

State Ag Communications CDE is Monday, June 12 - Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at

Lincoln Land Communication College.  Individual Practicums will be Monday afternoon and Tuesday Morning will be the teams.  Times TBA.  Please register your students for the following areas:  Web Design Practicum, Video Producer Practicum, Journalistic Written Practicum, and Opinion Writing Practicum.  IAVAT Member Cost is $12 and Non-IAVAT Member Cost is $48.  Mandatory Registration closes on Monday, May 29, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.  Materials are due to Bill Harmon at bill.harmon@llcc.edu by Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

8. State Ag Issues Mandatory Registration is Open

State Ag Issues CDE is Monday, June 12, 2023, at Lincoln Land Community College.   IAVAT Member Varsity Team Registration is $75; Non-IAVAT Varsity Team Registration is $300.  Please add students’ names to the separate question on the registration.  A team consists of 3-7 members.  Materials are due to Bill Harmon at bill.harmon@llcc.edu by Tuesday, May 30, 2023.  Mandatory Registration closes on Monday, May 29, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.  

9.  2023 State Greenhand Quiz Bowl Competition

We are SUPER excited to be bringing the State Quiz Bowl Competition back to the 95th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, starting at 10:00 a.m.  We are still determining all of the Section Winners (a few sections will have their Greenhand Quiz Bowl this week). Once we know all of the winners, those schools will be emailed with more details about the event.  

10.  Farm Progress Show Soils Judging Contest

Dear Illinois ag teacher, FFA advisor:

Some of you have brought students to the Farm Progress Show Invitational soil judging contest in the past. Other may not have had the opportunity. We are hosting this event again in 2023 and would love for you to bring your teams and compete.  Please Click here to review a letter from Tom Bechman and myself, and then use the entry form to register.  Note that if you do so by June 5, your students participating in soil judging and yourself get free entry to the Farm Progress Show.  We hope you can take advantage of this unique educational event, and a chance to see Illinois soils up close and personal, while students compete for cash prizes. Help us make this the biggest and best FPS soil judging contest ever!

We hope to see you in August! If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Holly Spangler, Editor, Prairie Farmer

11. Illinois FFA License Plate - Information you have been waiting for!!

Let’s DO THIS – Illinois FFA Has to get 2,000 applications for the Illinois FFA Specialty Decal for your License Plate

Specialty universal decals are authorized by Illinois statute with the primary goal of raising funds for a specific organization(s), in our case Illinois Foundation FFA. The decals are available to the public and are not awarded based on specific qualifying criteria. The Secretary of State’s office will begin production of a new specialty decal category AFTER receiving 2,000 requests and $10.00 deposits for the decal.  The $10.00 non-refundable specialty license decals fee must accompany each plate request. The fee will be deposited into the special fund as designated by statute regardless of whether or not the decals are produced. The design of the decal has been submitted by the Illinois FFA and has been approved by the Office of the Secretary of State. Please see more information here, as well as the administrative rule for Universal Plate Decal guidelines. 

We need  2,000 Illinois FFA supporters to come together to apply for the new Specialty Illinois FFA License Plate Decal, hoping to raise over $20,000 to support Illinois FFA and ensure the decal will be commissioned!  Now there is a fun and easy way that you can support Illinois FFA members, purchase a new “Universal Specialty” plate with an Illinois FFA decal through the Secretary of State’s office.  The decal will be commissioned ONLY if we have at least 2000 applicants.  After we hit the 2000 required requests along with the $10.00 deposit, then you will receive a letter from the Secretary of State’s Office along with a license plate transfer application. You will have the opportunity to purchase the Universal Specialty Plate and Illinois FFA decal then.  There will be an additional $29.00 fee for the new plate the first year for the Specialty plate and an additional $25.00 for the Illinois FFA decal every year along with your registration costs.  Funds from the decal will go to the Illinois Foundation FFA to support Illinois FFA members and programming throughout our state. 

You can still apply for your decal in three easy steps:

1. Download and print this form.

2. Fill the form out, including “Illinois FFA” for “Name of Specialty Plate Being Requested”

3. Send the form in to the Secretary of State’s office with $10 via check (recommended) or cash.  

Secretary of State                                                                                                        Vehicle Services Department                                                                                         501 S. Second St., Room 520                                                                             Springfield, IL 62756 - 5100

What will the decal look like that I put on my license plate?  

12.  2023 Illinois FFA Chapter President Awards Sponsored by Illinois Farm Bureau

Congratulations to these Outstanding Chapter Presidents!  Click here to view all President application results, sponsored by Illinois Farm Bureau.  Chapter Presidents will be recognized at the 95th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention during the 1st General Session that begins at 1:00 p.m.  Click here to view the 2023 Illinois FFA State Convention agenda.  

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

• CLICK HERE to view

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

Instructions on how to register for the IAVAT Conference.

State FFA Convention:

2023-2024 Officer Candidate Resume Booklet & Candidate Introduction Video

2023 IL FFA State Convention Wyndham (Downtown) Springfield Hotel Room Link

President Abraham Lincoln's Hotel Rooms Sold Out for State Convention.

2023 IAVAT Conference - Sheraton Lisle Hotel Room Block Link - $123 Plus Tax, the room block closes Monday, May 22, 2023.  Please note the room block link is set to register for hotel rooms for Monday-Thursday, so please update to the dates that you need before submitting your registration.

2022-2023 CDE Calendar and General Information-Updated 5-8-23 & 2022-23 Trading Post

Instructions on How To Register for Events, CDE's-Adding/Editing Participant Names, and Waiver Uploads for Events

Start/Reactivate an Alumni with Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters

2022-23 C.A.R.E.S Waiver Form Listserv with Instructions - Required for all students attending conferences, leadership camp, and conventions.

• May 12, 2023 - GROWMARK Scholarship Applications DUE

• May 15, 2023 - Ed Curry Scholarship Application DUE

• May 16, 2023 - Results DUE State Job Interview & Public Speaking Results

• May 16, 2023 - Results DUE Greenhand Quiz Bowl

• May 17, 2023 - IAVAT Board Meeting, 3:30 p.m. - Virtual

• May 19, 2023 - David Cain Photography Contest - DUE

• May 22, 2023 - IAVAT Conference Sheraton Lisle -Naperville Hotel Room Block CLOSES (We might run out of rooms by this date, if so, please check hotels in the area for hotel rooms.)

• May 24, 2023 - State FFA Convention Registration CLOSES

• May 24, 2023 - FY24 Fair Contract DUE

• May 26, 2023 - IL FFA To be a Camp Staff DUE

• May 26, 2023 - IL FFA Center CLOSING at 2:30 p.m. for the Holiday

• May 29, 2023 - IL FFA Center CLOSED for Holiday

• May 29, 2023 - State Ag Communications CDE Mandatory Registration ENDS

• May 29, 2023 - State Ag Issues CDE Mandatory Registration ENDS

• May 30, 2023 - Delegate Registration for State FFA Convention ENDS

• May 30, 2023 - Results Due for Ag Issues to Bill Harmon, LLCC

• May 30, 2023 - Mandatory Materials DUE for Ag Communications to Bill Harmon, LLCC

• May 30, 2023 - Materials DUE for Public Speaking & Job Interview

• May 30-31, 2023 - State FFA Officer Meeting, IL FFA Center

• June 2, 2023 - IAVAT Conference Registration $50 Late Fee Begins

• June 12, 2023 - State Ag Issues, Lincoln Land Community College,  5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• June 12, 2023 - State Ag Communications, Lincoln Land Community College,  5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• June 13, 2023 - State Public Speaking LDE, President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, 700 E Adams St, Springfield

• June 13, 2023 - State Job Interview LDE, President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, 700 E Adams St, Springfield

• June 13, 2023 - American Degree Dinner, President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, 700 E Adams, Springfield

• June 14, 2023 - Greenhand Quizbowl, BOS Center, 1 Convention Plaza, Springfield

• June 14, 2023 - State Awards Lunch, Wyndham City Centre, 700 E Adams, Springfield

• June 13 - 15, 2023 - Illinois FFA State Convention, Bank of Springfield Center, 1 Convention Center Plaza, Springfield, IL 62702

• June 20 - 22, 2023 - IAVAT Conference, Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel, 3000 Warrenville Rd, Lisle, IL 60532.

• June 25 - July 2, 2023 - IL FFA WLC Trip, Washington, DC

• July 3, 2023 - IL FFA Center Closing at 12:30 for Holiday

• July 4, 2023 - IL FFA Center Closed for Fourth of July

• July 10-14, 2023 - SIU State Officer Meeting

• July 21, 2023 - IL FFA Leadership Leave Early/Arrive Late Forms DUE to pdavis@illinoisffa.org.

• July 24 - 27, 2023 - Illinois FFA Leadership Camp, 4-H Memorial Camp, 499 Old Timber Road, Monticello, IL 61856

• July 31, 2023 - Joint Board Onboarding & EDI Training, Site TBA

• August 1, 2023 - Joint FFA & IAVAT Board Meeting, IL FFA Center

• August 8-9, 2023 - State FFA Officer Meeting & State Fair Set-Up, Springfield, IL

• August 10, 2023 - IL State Fair Parade, Springfield, IL

• August 10-20, 2023 - IL State Fair, Springfield, IL

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

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

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

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

• 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

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