FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ill. (WSIL)� The Illinois Farm Bureau is suing after being expelled from membership in the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The vote came down on Wednesday morning after talks between the two groups failed.
This was over membership dues for those without farm insurance.
The American Farm Bureau Federation is ending the Illinois Farm Bureau’s membership, and some farmers are wondering what that means for them.Ìý
Larry Miller has been farming in Franklin County for 52 years.ÌýHe saysÌýit's a craftÌýhe passed down to his son.Ìý
“Well, my son and I farm together here. We raise corn, soybean, wheat, and I have a few cattle,� Miller said.
Miller saysÌýwhenÌýhe heard about the changes coming between the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) andÌýTheÌýAmerican Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)ÌýÌýheÌýwanted to know how that could impact his business.Ìý
“I want the Farm Bureau to beÌýa voice for meÌýin Springfield and Washington. And this fight is creating some real questions about that,â€� Miller said.
The current issue between the two bureaus is that the insurance company IFB uses wants to get rid ofÌýaÌýrequirement for non-farm insurance policyholders to become Farm Bureau members.
“And so that relationship changed the relationship with the American Farm Bureau collected dues on all the members. And so their loss of income was great, but I do not know all of the legal ramifications of all of it,� Miller said.
Miller also wonders how this will impact membership on the local level.
“And now attorneys are involved on both sides and that's not good in my opinion. And so we're losing sight of the membership and the value that Farm Bureau provides for the farmers in the state of Illinois,â€� Miller said.Ìý
On Thursday the Illinois Farmer Bureau hosted a meeting with leaders of the Illinois County Bureaus. The Bureau president from Franklin County Leon McClerrenÌýbelieves farmers won't feel an impact locally.Ìý
“Most of the things that the Farm Bureau does for our membership at the local level are still very much in place and intact. They work through the local counties for that. And the other things that you might say are behind the scenes are still ongoing,� McClerren said.
But he says that if both sides don't reach an agreement, there could be some impacts in the long run.
“Down the road, it could impact us with a voice of course, in Washington,� McClerren said.
McClerren and Miller say for now all they can do is keep hoping for a resolution.
