[Freeport, Ill.] – Eight members of the Highland Community College Collegiate Farm Bureau recently attended the Illinois Farm Bureau® (IFB) Young Leader Conference, held February 6th and 7th, in East Peoria, IL. The Young Leader Conference brought together young farmers, professionals, and Collegiate Farm Bureau members from across Illinois for a weekend of leadership development, networking, and professional growth.
The conference is one of the state’s premier gatherings for emerging leaders in agriculture, offering sessions designed to build skills, inspire innovation, and deepen connections within the industry. Highland Community College students in attendance were Aaliyah Whitney, Adriana Anderson, Alyssa Broge, Brooke Burger, Jessa DeuVall, Lakota Scace, Lauren Witte, and Ty Spahn.
A special Collegiate Farm Bureau session kicked off the conference Friday evening, providing students with a unique opportunity to network, share experiences, and discuss topics relevant to their leadership journey and future careers in agriculture. This session helped set the tone for an engaging weekend focused on personal and professional growth.
Throughout the event, members had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions covering leadership, personal finance, agriculture technology, and industry trends. Attendees also heard from dynamic keynote speakers and engaged in interactive activities focused on empowering young leaders to make a positive impact in their communities and careers.
Highland Community College Collegiate Farm Bureau President Lauren Witte said, “I really enjoyed the breakout sessions and meeting other Collegiate Farm Bureau members from across the state. My favorite session discussed the details and requirements of selling products directly from your farm.”
The Highland Community College Collegiate Farm Bureau is proud to participate in this annual event and looks forward to applying the knowledge, connections, and inspiration gained to strengthen their chapter and impact their campus and community throughout the year.
For more information about the Highland Community College Collegiate Farm Bureau, contact Justin Ebert at justin.ebert@highland.edu.
About Illinois Farm Bureau
Founded in 1916, Illinois Farm Bureau – originally known as the Illinois Agricultural Association – is a nonprofit, grassroots membership organization. Illinois Farm Bureau and its statewide network of county Farm Bureaus give members an advantage through impactful advocacy, trusted information, and meaningful development to support their careers and Illinois farm families.
Collegiate Farm Bureau is a program of the Illinois Farm Bureau® designed to engage college students in agriculture, leadership, and service. With chapters across the state, Collegiate Farm Bureau unites students as the voice of agriculture on their campuses and in their communities, empowering them to be powerful assets for the agriculture industry.
Learn more about Illinois agriculture at www.ilfb.org