From Gay Bowlin -Franklin County Farm Bureau Manager 

Gay Bowlin -Franklin County Farm Bureau Manager

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! According to AFBF, the price of an average Thanksgiving dinner for 10 dropped this year to $49.12, a 75-cent decrease compared with last year and the lowest since 2013. While the price of the meal has steadily increased since 1986 when AFBF first conducted its survey, the average cost has been trending downward for the last two years. Be sure and thank a farmer for your Thanksgiving Dinner.

BIG CROPS HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR STRONG AG MARKETS – Thinking back to August, IFB President Richard Guebert, Jr. wasn’t too worried about who would buy this year’s crops. He wasn’t sure there’d be much of a crop to buy in the first place. But Guebert’s yield monitor showed surprisingly high numbers this fall, and his thoughts have returned to where his crops are going to go. “We really need good export and trade agreements to move this product out into the world market,” he said. (FarmWeekNow.com)

  IL SHORT OF TEACHERS – A recent report finds Illinois schools needed 2,000 teachers at the start of this year, and 16 percent of schools had to cancel something last year because they didn’t have the teachers to conduct the classes or activities. Experts say teachers’ starting salaries, cost of a four-year degree and certification requirements are contributing to the lack of teachers in the state. (Illinois News Network)

Illinois Dicamba Training will roll out this winter, with sessions beginning Nov. 27 and continuing until April 1, just prior to spring planting.

Illinois is following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) parameters as it relates to dicamba use in 2018.

“We are now moving forward with one of the new requirements on this label for 2018, which is that this is a restricted-use pesticide,” Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) President Jean Payne recently told the RFD Radio Network^®.  “So you already have to be a certified applicator to apply it.”

Those applicators must also prove that they have been to dicamba-specific training in order to apply the product, she added.

“And you have to keep proof of training as part of every record of application,” Payne said. “You don’t have to have proof of training to buy dicamba products; you just have to be a certified applicator and provide the pesticide dealer your license.”(Jim Taylor for FarmWeek.now)

FRUIT ORDERS MUST BE IN BY MONDAY. 

     Oranges – a 40 lb box is $35.00 and 20 lb box is $25.00

     Grapefruit – 40 lb box is $30.00 and 20 lb box is $20.00

     (we will not have Tangelos this year at all – sorry for the inconvenience.) 

   Orders must be received by November 27 for fruit and it will be in before Christmas.

  WE CURRENTLY HAVE PECANS IN THE OFFICE – so you can call or stop by and pick them up. Supplies are limited so don’t wait.

  Pecans are $10.00 for a jumbo 1 lb bag of  ½ shelled and $7.00 for a 12 oz bag of choc covered pecans.

Remember we are farmers working together. If we can help let us know.

The 38^th Annual Mt. Vernon Teacher Conference was held on October 27, 2017, at the Mt. Vernon Twp. High School campus with a “reach~teach~inspire” theme. Ag in the Classroom Coordinators from Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Jefferson, and Saline Counties provided an exhibit table with free resources. Those resources included posters, Ag Mags, Illinois Reading Council information, IL AITC calendars and much more.  The coordinators owe a big Thank You to Jacob Kueker, Mt. Vernon FFA Chapter, and Derek Sample, Sesser-Valier FFA Chapter, for watching over the exhibit booth while the coordinators presented at 4 sessions throughout the day.

The Coordinators presenting included: Leslie Kueker, Jefferson/Hamilton Co., Maridy Tso, Saline/Gallatin Co, and Melissa Lamczyk, Franklin Co. The session titles were “What’s Growing On?”  These sessions focused on specialty crops growing in Illinois and how to use new learning standards to incorporate hands on activities with some locally grown produce as well as produce from around the state. The new Specialty Ag Mag has several items highlighted from around the state with interviews from growers on the back page and information on the front page and inside. The newer Ag Mags have the standards listed on the back page and the web page for finding more lessons and activities, as well as many more links and FREE resource materials.

Mrs. Lamczyk shared an informative video from the Horseradish Festival in Collinsville , IL and presented a horseradish root, how it’s grown, special equipment needed during the planting, harvesting and storage of the produce.  Mrs. Lamczyk shared her experience of touring Heepke Farms in May of 2017, where they grow horseradish and many other commodities, and learned that Collinsville, IL is the horseradish capitol of the world.

Mrs. Tso presented an activity on broom corn. Mrs. Tso had some broom corn on hand to share with the teachers and told them she relates to the product from childhood memories with her grandparents. She demonstrated the difference in use of broom corn and todays brooms. She also did a fun hands on activity of moon sand using watermelon kool-aid. She told teachers that students could make the sand with different flavors of kool-aid while learning about different produce.

Mrs. Kueker demonstrated how to pull the dna cells from a strawberry, while also providing some for snacks for those teachers attending class though the lunch hour. Mrs. Kueker demonstrated that different equipment used during the extraction process and products used could make a difernce in the outcome and the time needed to do the experiment. She talked about the different orchards available within the county for finding different produce and their products.

Teachers left with handouts, Ag Mags, and some with a variety of door prizes, such as highlighted ag related books. More than 1000 teachers and administrators and several counties participate and attend the Mt. Vernon Conference.   A huge Thank You to the Regional Office of Education and all those who assisted with the planning, preparation and carrying out of the conference.

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today released the following statement after the House passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

“Southern Illinois’ hardworking middle-class families deserve a break. We need more jobs, higher take-home pay, and greater opportunity to get ahead. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is focused on empowering middle-class working families by delivering more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger take-home pay. For the 78% of tax filers in Illinois’ 12^th Congressional District who currently take the standard deduction, you will see an average $1700 more in your pocket after taxes. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act gives you the breathing room you need to save for college, help raise a family, or prepare for a rainy day. When given the chance, I have no doubt you’ll keep a closer eye on your hard-earned dollars than any Washington bureaucrat ever will.”

For individuals and families, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

• Lowers individual tax rates for low- and middle-income Americans to zero, 12 percent, 25 percent, and 35 percent so people can keep more of the money they earn throughout their lives, and continues to maintain 39.6 percent for high-income Americans.

• Significantly increases the standard deduction to protect roughly double the amount of what you earn each year from taxes – from $6,350 to $12,000 for individuals and $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples.

Transfer agreement with U of I Chicago gets green light
The board approved a transfer admission guarantee (TAG) agreement between the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, specifically U of I Chicago, and Rend Lake College. This agreement allows RLC students guaranteed admission to the University of Illinois at Chicago provided they meet the requirements of the agreement.

Three new certificates receive approval, other curriculum matters
The board approved the creation of three new occupational certificates – Entrepreneurship, Early Childhood Education and Graphic Technician – and authorized their submission to the Illinois Community College Board for action.

The Entrepreneurship certificate program prepares students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in business as an entrepreneur and to prepare them for further educational opportunities in a variety of business areas. This certificate will lay the foundation in preparing students to be enterprising individuals who contribute to the economic development of our community.

The one-year Early Childhood Education certificate provides students with a background in ECE courses. Courses in this two-semester certificate align with the associate degree program to promote a seamless transition into the Associate in Applied Science Degree in ECE.

Falling under the umbrella of the Graphic Design program, the Graphic Technician certificate program prepares students for employment requiring design responsibilities in a variety of organizational settings. The curriculum partners the necessary knowledge of design techniques with skills needed to be successful in business settings through enhanced communication skills and a working knowledge of office systems software.

Two new courses, Diversity in Education and Graphic Design’s Portfolio Review, also were approved Tuesday, and approval also was granted to develop an online Portfolio Review class in the Graphic Design program. Among other changes approved were title changes to four courses, inactivation of the Mining Technology and Surveying Technology Associate in Applied Science Degree programs, semester course sequence changes to eight degree programs and six certificate programs, and withdrawal of 25 courses.

Farner to take reins of Applied Science & Tech
Gabriele Farner was appointed Dean of Applied Science and Technology effective Nov. 27. She will replace the retiring Chris Nielsen. Farner holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University and is pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Teaching and Leadership through Walden University. She currently is the Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Learning for Shawnee Community College.

CCRR seeks License Exempt Monitor
Permission was granted to create the position, approve the job description and advertise for a License Exempt Monitor for the Child Care Resource and Referral program (Project CHILD). This new position is required by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

PHS projects receive approval
The board granted permission to bid to replace the gymnasium and Aquatics Center roof, flashing and part of the guttering and downspouts using Protection, Health and Safety Levy funds for Fiscal Year 2019. The current roof is 24 years old and has exceeded its life expectancy.

Accreditation update
The board heard a report on the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation activities. The college is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is due for an evaluation by the HLC in September 2018. The Steering Committee and various other working groups and committees will be meeting later this week to work on writing specific sections of the Assurance Argument and to provide an update on progress.

Advisement’s Hicks moving on
The board accepted with regret the resignation of Jordan Hicks, Academic Advisor, effective Nov. 10. He had been with RLC full-time since July 2014. “I have witnessed first-hand how an excellent higher education institution operates,” Hicks wrote in his resignation letter. I hope I have had a positive impact on my co-workers and most importantly our students.”

In other business, the board …
• Heard a report from Dr. Elizabeth Bailey-Smith of the Academic Council covering the curriculum matters taken up by the board Tuesday and reporting on additional meetings and activities.
• Accepted the audit report for Fiscal Year 2017 as presented.
• Approved revisions to board policy concerning background checks for potential and current employees (second reading) and return to work certification (second reading) and tabled a board policy regarding holidays (first reading).
• Approved revisions to board policy and procedure concerning enrollment of international students (second reading).
• Approved creation of board policy and procedure concerning media relations (second reading) and student employment (second reading).
• Amended the retirement resignation for the administrative assistant of the Math and Sciences Division.
• Ratified the acceptance of the resignation of a Certified Nurse Assistant associate professor.
• Approved the Student Worker Handbook.
• Approved the 2018-2019 academic calendar.
• Ratified payment of college expenses including travel reimbursements.

Mark your calendars …
• Documentary Film Showing: Paper Clips, noon Wednesday, Nov. 15, RLC Theatre.
• RLC Foundation Annual Dinner Meeting, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, Holiday Inn / DoubleTree Inn, Mt. Vernon.
• RLC Faculty / Staff Holiday Luncheon, Friday, Dec. 8, Waugh Gymnasium.

…WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST
THIS EVENING…

* TIMING…Gusty southerly winds will increase from mid to late
morning as a cold front arrives. In the wake of the front, even
stronger wind gusts from the northwest can be expected through
the afternoon.

* WINDS…Peak wind gusts will be 40 to 45 mph, especially in the
afternoon.

* IMPACTS…Minor damage is possible along with more difficult
driving conditions.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A wind advisory is issued when sustained winds are expected to
reach 30 mph or greater for longer than one hour…or wind gusts
are expected to reach 40 mph for any duration.