By Tony Eberhard, IDFA Vice President of Legislative Affairs

Welcome to “Hill of Beans,” a periodic update by Tony Eberhard about the association’s work in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to advance dairy industry priorities. After working on the Hill for various members of Congress and senators since 2001, Eberhard gives IDFA readers a former Hill staffer’s take on what is going on and how it affects our priorities. 

“There is a lot of work being done in the House and Senate that never makes the headlines but affects members’ bottom lines, and I’m hoping these updates will prove useful to you and your organization,” Eberhard said. “I’m titling these updates ‘Hill of Beans’ because to many in national media this information might not amount to much, but to our industry’s agenda in Congress, it is critical.” Read the update below.

Back Home

Did you know the A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company, now owned by Tate & Lyle, was founded by A.E. Staley who both founded the Chicago Bears in 1919 and helped bring soybean farming to Illinois? How about the fact that Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., once helped connect rock star Bret Michaels of Poison fame with a young boy to cheer him up during his fight with cancer? I learned that and a lot more on my recent trip to central Illinois, where Tate & Lyle, the University of Illinois, and Rep. Davis call home.

I learned that the congressman, who serves as a House Agriculture Subcommittee chairman, is not only working hard to pass a farm bill but that he also has a passion for creating effective job training to make sure kids walk out of school prepared to find a job and pursue the American Dream. I saw firsthand the research that members of the University of Illinois faculty are conducting to help U.S. agriculture feed a growing world and become more competitive.

It’s by spending time with the folks who call a place home that you really get to know an area. Last week, I had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what makes central Illinois tick when IICA board member Chis Olsen of Tate & Lyle invited me to spend a day in Champaign and Decatur. The big takeaway for me is that through hard work, this region is building on its heritage to take the agriculture and food sector to the next level.

In touring the Tate & Lyle Staley Office Building, there were multiple frescos depicting farmers in the fields, reflecting the work ethic of this area. The impressive building, known as “The Castle in the Cornfields,” was dedicated in 1930, and it is itself a testament to the hard work of A.E. Staley, the industrialist, and the many workers who helped him build this food processing giant. 

Agriculture’s rich past in Decatur gave me context for its bright future in Champaign. The University of Illinois’ Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) was truly impressive, a place where companies like Tate & Lyle can work on tomorrow’s products.

My trip ended with a visit with Rep. Davis who is putting his shoulder to the plow to deliver a farm bill later this year. I have always found the Illinois congressman to be a dedicated and humble public servant, and this time was no different. His busy August schedule seemed to energize instead of exhaust him, which sounds about right for this part of the world.

As a former Hill staffer, I am accustomed to August being used to travel to the home district or state to learn and listen. At IDFA, we too, are going “back home” to better understand what’s important to our members and key members of Congress.