Chicago Area Legislator Spends Time on Clay County Farm

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Published on June 27 2017 8:08 am
Last Updated on June 27 2017 8:08 am

(LEGISLATOR MICHELLE MUSSMAN HEARS FROM PRODUCER BRYAN LAND OF XENIA ABOUT THE STATUS OF CROPS ON THE FAMILY FARM)

BY CLAY COUNTY FARM BUREAU MANAGER SYDNEY LAY

State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, brought her husband and son for an agriculture tour of Clay County with her adopted county Farm Bureau. Their June 16 visit included several agricultural stops.

The visitors first toured a newly constructed hog barn, owned by Mitch and Anna Land of Xenia. The new facility, which will receive hogs in July, was a great setting to discuss livestock issues. Patrick Maschhoff of The Maschhoffs explained the state siting process.

The representative and her family learned about regulations that applied and the process the Lands undertook to build their facility. They discussed their plans to handle odor and waste, including incorporating manure as fertilizer on their farmland.

After a cookout at South Central FS in Flora, the tour headed to Kent and LeAnn Warren’s home and garden. Mussman learned how to care for each fruit and vegetable.

The Cargill plant in Flora provided the day’s last stop. Craig Smith and Stephanie Hemphill led the plant tour and discussed how livestock feed is made, starting when grain arrives through milling, pelletizing, packaging and distribution as feed.

The Mussmans returned home with a gift bag of local honey, homemade fudge and local bacon from Clay County Farm Bureau President Henry Kessler. The county Farm Bureau thanks the representative and her family for spending the day in Clay County and all the tour hosts. The Adopt-A-Legislator program would not be a success unless members were willing to help legislators learn about agriculture on their farms and facilities.