University News

David Erickson, who graduated from Western with his bachelor's degree in 1980, was recently elected to the vice president position of the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB). Erickson, who farms near Altona, IL, was elected by IFB delegates at the IFB Annual Meeting in December; he will serve a two-year term in the VP office.
[Download Print-Quality Image]

WIU Ag Alum Elected VP of Illinois Farm Bureau

January 28, 2014

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL — A Western Illinois University School of Agriculture alumnus will serve Illinois farmers and agriculture professionals at the state level for the next two years. David Erickson, who graduated from Western with his bachelor's degree in 1980, was recently elected to the vice president position of the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB). Erickson, who farms near Altona, IL, was elected by IFB delegates at the IFB Annual Meeting in December; he will serve a two-year term in the VP office.

Erickson said he started his farming career in 1985 and became involved with serving the Farm Bureau in 2005.

"I became more fully involved with Farm Bureau in 2005, when I began to serve on the Knox County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. I most recently served two years as president of the Knox County Farm Bureau and then announced my candidacy to run for IFB vice president last July," Erickson noted. "As the VP, I serve as a member of the Illinois Farm Bureau Board of Directors, with specific committee assignments on the finance committee as chairman and will serve as the chairman of the resolutions committee, which develops the policy positions of IFB on an annual basis. In addition, I will serve the members of IFB as directed by the IFB president."

He noted his duties also include serving as a director or officer for IFB-affiliated business relationships with Country Financial.

According to Erickson, the IFB has a network of 96 County Farm Bureau offices, which provide farmers and those who work in the state's agriculture industry with resources in communications, leadership development, legislative education/involvement and ag literacy programs, as well as numerous support services.

"The Illinois Farm Bureau is a member-driven organization. We work on agriculture policies, programs and industry initiatives identified, prioritized and directed by our members," he said. "Our goal is to work cooperatively with our members and county offices to 'improve the economic well-being of agriculture and enrich the quality of farm family life,'" he added.

Erickson demonstrated his service to the agriculture industry early on, serving as a member in various agriculture-based groups and organizations when he was a student at WIU.

"My involvement with student and volunteer organizations at Western helped me gain experience in leadership development and personal communication skills. I was a member of the Ag Ed Club, Hoof-n-Horn Club and the Alpha Zeta Ag Honorary Fraternity, while also serving as an active member and officer of the Alpha Gamma Sigma Fraternity. I also served on Inter-Fraternity Council while I was at WIU."

Learn more about the Illinois Farm Bureau at www.ilfb.org. Visit WIU's School of Ag at www.wiu.edu/ag.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing