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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson served as the 14th President of the
3Illinois Farm Bureau and as its full-time executive officer for
410 years, from December 2003 to December 2013; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson has been an outstanding
6spokesperson for farmers and for all facets of Illinois
7agriculture, maintaining the highest level of integrity and
8honesty; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson's knowledge of agricultural issues
10is highly regarded, resulting in expanded relationships on both
11sides of the aisle at both the State and federal level; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Just days into Philip Nelson's first term as the
13Illinois Farm Bureau President, the first case of Mad Cow
14Disease was reported in the State of Washington; he took
15immediate action to instill consumer confidence by voicing his
16support for the quick action the United States Department of
17Agriculture took to ban downer cattle from getting into our
18nation's food supply; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson led the charge to create the
20Saluting Agriculture Specialty License Plate, which has
21brought in more than $310,000 to the Illinois Agricultural

 

 

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1Association Foundation's Ag in the Classroom efforts; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson led the Illinois Farm Bureau through
3tough issues that would have harmed farmers and rural economies
4such as the potential creation of a gross receipts tax; he
5defended agriculture against numerous regulatory affronts; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson took a leadership role in bringing
7Illinois food and agricultural industries together on many
8initiatives, including Illinois Ag in the Classroom, Vision for
9Illinois Agriculture, and Illinois Farm Families; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Prior to being elected President of the Illinois
11Farm Bureau, Philip Nelson served as Vice-President of the
12organization from 1999 to 2003; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Philip Nelson has been
14extremely involved in both State and national agricultural
15organizations; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson has held numerous agricultural
17leadership positions over the years, including serving as
18President of the Illinois Soybean Association from 1989 to
191991, President of the LaSalle County Farm Bureau from 1993 to
201999, Vice-President of the American Soybean Association from
211993 to 1994, and Chairman of the American Farm Bureau

 

 

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1Federation's Swine Advisory Committee from 1997 to 2000; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson served with distinction as a
3director of the American Farm Bureau Federation from 2004 to
42013 and served as Chair of the American Farm Bureau Federation
5Trade Advisory Committee from 2009 to 2011; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson was named Future Farmers of America
7Star Farmer of Illinois in 1977 and the American Farm Bureau
8Federation's National Outstanding Young Farmer in 1984; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson was named Prairie Farmer Master
10Farmer in 2001; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson represented farmers' interests on
12the first United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
13Biotechnology Advisory Committee, and the Federal Grain
14Inspection Service Advisory Committee; he currently serves on
15the USDA Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade
16and Animals and Animal Products; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In 2012, Joliet Junior College presented Philip
18Nelson with its Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Philip Nelson and his wife Carmen operate a
20fourth-generation grain and livestock farm near Seneca, where

 

 

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1they grow corn, soybeans, and alfalfa, and run a cow-calf
2operation; he and his wife have 3 children, Kendall, Kyle, and
3Rachel; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6we commend Philip Nelson on his dedication to Illinois
7agriculture and congratulate him on his 10 years of service as
8the President of the Illinois Farm Bureau; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to Philip Nelson as an expression of our esteem and
11respect.