Issue 4 2019 - Summer

INTERESTing Times How Will Lowered Interest Rates Impact the Rest of 2019?

What does the recent rate reduction by the FOMC and the ending of the Fed's balance sheet runoff earlier than planned mean for the future of interest rates?

How Global Economies Impact the Fed’s Decisions

#MembershipPays with FCI Cash Patronage Thanks for Your Cooperative Membership More than 7,900 members received their inaugural patronage checks the week of June 17-21. Enjoy these images captured as members celebrated the newest way FCI creates cooperative value.

Farm Families Celebrating Patronage

Financial Snapshot 2nd Quarter Business Results

Visit the Farm Credit Tent at the Farm Progress Show August 27-29 in Decatur

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T.I.P. Technology & Information Protection What are Phishing Emails and How to Identify Them

Phishing emails are one of the most common online threats. Learn how to spot phony requests to protect your personal and farm business information.

Proactively Protect Your Information

Sign Up to Attend a Farm Financial Analysis Workshop Sharpen Your Balance Sheets at Mid-year

Learn the basics of a balance sheet and understand the importance of detailed record keeping in a half-day meeting this summer. $1,000 FreshRoots learning incentives available to young and beginning farmers who haven’t already attended. Sign Up Today

Land Values Benchmark Study Farmland Values Relatively Stable

After four years of moderate decline, overall land values in the central and southern 60 counties of Illinois were relatively constant from the year prior, according to Farm Credit Illinois’ 2019 benchmark study.

Learn More and Download the Full Report

Know an Outstanding Ag Educator? Nominate Them for the Golden Owl Award

Help us honor Illinois ag educators for their tremendous contributions, which help the next generation of agricultural leaders. The Golden Owl Award winner and Illinois Ag Educator of the Year will receive $3,000 and five additional honorees will win $500. Submit nominations July 1-Nov. 16, 2019.

Nominate an Ag Educator Today

Price Check Land Sales in the Last 90 Days

The listing includes results for 17 different farmland auctions reported since the last results were published in April 2019. These 17 public auctions concluded with successful bids and represented 1,186 total acres in nine different counties selling for a grand total of $8.5 million with an average price of $7,144 per acre. The highest price per acre was $12,558 for Class C land in Madison County; the lowest price per acre was $2,350 for Class C land in Richland County.

2020 Focus on Farming Photo Calendar Contest Accepting Entries through August 20

Submit your favorite original rural life images for a chance to appear in FCI’s 2020 Focus on Farming calendar. Follow FCI on Facebook for details and to see all images submitted. Like your favorites because total Likes will be considered during the selection process.

Enter Your Photos

Raffles & Reactions Enter to Win One of Ten Grill Kits - Drawing to be held Sept. 4

Here's a chance to win an "essential" to use during the heat of the Illinois summer. The Cuisinart kit is perfect for the on-the-go griller or to keep the grill tools separate from kitchen utensils.

Congratulations to the winners of the Reba McEntire concert tickets following the #MembershipPays social contest!