News

Cover Crop Seed Assistance Program

To wrap up the Knox County Farm Bureau Young Farmers Cover Crop Proeject, the Illinois Farm Bureau Nutrient Stewardship Grant will allow the Knox County Farm Bureau to award seed assistance grants to 25 Knox County Farm Bureau Members who purchase and plant cover crop seed from West Central FS. The $250 incentive will be awarded on a first come first serve basis, after membership and seed purchase is verified.

Awardee agrees to provide data (such as acreage of cover crops, seed mix type, use, etc.) and have name publicized in communications about the project and grant. Cover crop seed mix must be purchased from West Central FS from July 1- August 1. Knox County Farm Bureau voting membership must be active as of August 31, 2025.

Members can begin applying for this program on June 16 at 10AM here, or by calling the office at 309-342-2036 and providing your name, farm name, phone number, email, Farm Bureau membership number, and West Central FS location seed will be purchased from.

Current and former Cover Crop Project participants are not eligible to participate. A minimum purchase of $500 worth of cover crop seed is required to participate.

4-H Fair T-Shirts

We are excited to once again offer shirts that match the shirts that the Knox County Farm Bureau is providing to all Knox County 4-H Livestock Exhbitors. This year, shirts will be charcoal gray and may vary from the color shown depending on availability at the time of printing. Shirts can be pick up on Sunday, July 13 at the Knox County Fairgrounds at weigh-in. Horse exhibitor shirts will be distributed at the Horse Show on July 6. ORDERS ARE DUE JUNE 26 BY 4:00PM. Order HERE.

2025 Hunter Safety Course

2025 Hunter Safety Course- August 22 & August 23

Friday, August 22 from 6:00-9:00 pm and Saturday, August 23 from 8:00 am-3:00 pm
Knox Agri-Center, 180 S. Soangetaha Rd, Galesburg

Area residents, 8 years old and above, will have an opportunity to learn basic principles of safe hunting at a Department of Natural Resources hunter safety course sponsored by the Knox County Farm Bureau Young Farmers. Participants must attend both session days. A snack will be provided on Friday evening and lunch provided on Saturday.

Participants must be 8 years old and above. A 1996 state law requires that all hunters born on or after January 1, 1980 must successfully complete the hunter education course before they can receive their first hunting license. Participants completing the hunter education course will receive a Hunter Education Certification card verifying that they have passed the course of instruction.

Classes are free and taught by volunteer instructors. The programs are primarily designed to train young people between the ages of 12-18 and materials are based on a sixth-grade reading level. Anyone under the age of 10 has to be accompanied by an adult the whole class.

The minimum ten hour course includes instruction in wildlife management, firearms safety, hunter ethics, game identification, first aid, survival techniques and regulations. This course is limited to 40 participants and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Please call the Knox County Farm Bureau with any questions 309-342-2036

This course is sponsored by the Knox County Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Knox County Pheasants Forever.

Registration will open on June 25 at Noon.

Tractor & Lawnmower Safety Challange

The Knox County Farm Bureau Young Leaders are hosting their 3rd Annual 4-H & FFA Lawnmower & Tractor Safety Challange on June 30 at the Knox County Fairgrounds at 6PM. Food will be served prior to the safety school portion of the night. Young Leaders will teach participants 8-13 lawnmower safety and 14 and older tractor safety. After a brief safety test, participants will be able to take part in the lawnmower or tractor driving contest course. This event is an updated version of the 4-H & FFA Tractor & Lawnmower Safety School & Driving Contest. Please RSVP to the office at 309-342-2036 or HERE.

2025 Farm Safety Day Registration Now Open!

Registration for the 2025 Knox County Farm Safety Day for Just Kids will be held on June 25, 2025 at the Knox County Fairgrounds. The camp is now full but a waiting list is being created. Sign up to be on the waiting list here.

Steve Johnson June Seminar

Dr. Steve Johnson will be at the Knox Agri Center on Tuesday, June 17 at 7PM to present a marketing seminar titled “Managing Crop Revenue & Market Price Risks”. Topics will include Supply/Demand & Crop Price Outlook, Understanding Summer Weather Forecasts, Review Crop Insurance Coverage, Pre-Harvest Marketing Strategies & Tools, Impact of Tariffs on U.S. Trade, Developing & Implementing Your ’25 Crop Marketing Plans. To reserve your seat, please call the Knox County Farm Bureau at 309-342-2036 or visit knoxcfb.org click HERE.

9th Annual Knox County Farm Bureau Foundation Golf Outing

Join us for an exciting day of golf to help support the Knox County Farm Bureau Foundation! Registration begins at 7:00am with a shotgun start at 8:00am. Four-person teams playing best ball. Team entry fee is $280. Individual entry fee is $70. The entry fee includes 18 holes of golf with a cart and lunch. All proceeds will benefit Knox County Farm Bureau Foundation Ag in the Classroom, scholarship, and Agriculture in the Community Grant Program.

To register your team or become a sponsor, click HERE. July 21 is the last day to get your sponsorship details in.