(WJBC) – The new president of the Illinois Livestock Development Group has roots in animal agriculture and continues with a small livestock operation, but he is primarily a grain farmer.
Rob Shaffer of El Paso currently serves as District 6 Director for the Illinois Soybean Association. The group is part of a coalition with other farm groups across the state designed to promote animal agriculture and grow the livestock numbers in Illinois.
“I grew up a pig farmer, since I was old enough to carry a bucket. My dad always had pigs. When I graduated from Illinois State, I went to work in the swine industry in North Carolina. (I) got out in 1998 when pigs got (to) 8 cents a pound,” said Shaffer.
Now he partners with his brother on a small Angus herd. They sell freezer beef, as well as being corn and soybean farmers. Shaffer explained why livestock is an important industry to grain farmers in Illinois and across the country.
“Our No. 1 customer is animal ag in the state of Illinois, and we need to promote that and keep … the more livestock stays in Illinois, it means more jobs, more taxes. It’s just good for Illinois,” said Shaffer.
His goal is to promote and educate grain farmers and livestock farmers on who their number one customer is. Shaffer believes it is realistic to bring livestock numbers back up in the state of Illinois. While grain farming is very profitable right now, land and input costs are expensive. Shaffer thinks raising livestock can help with that.
“What we forget is the organic side of the fertilizer, coming from whether it be a chicken, or a cow, or a pig or even a turkey, is very beneficial because of input costs as far as putting the fertilizer back into the ground,” said Shaffer.
Livestock production can also be a way to bring the next generation back to the farm.
“Because land is so expensive and rents are so high, maybe you can bring a son or a daughter back to maybe put in a couple of contract finishing barns or build a feedlot or a chicken barn or something along those lines to fit in the operation and still get back to agriculture,” Shaffer said.
The Illinois Livestock Development Group also helps farmers work through what can be a challenging regulatory environment.
“We’d like to get to a producer when they want to expand or build a new operation… get to them first before they start that permitting process to fill out all the paperwork with the Department of Agriculture to get them educated, get them ready for the process,” said Shaffer.
His main goal for the coming year is to continue to grow livestock numbers in Illinois. In 2010, the state saw 65 applications for permits to build livestock facilities. In 2011, there were 91 applications. Shaffer would like to see that number reach 100 in 2012.
More information about the Illinois Livestock Development Group is available at www.ildg.org or www.ilsoy.org.
By: Carrie Muehling
