Philip Nelson has long been a stout advocate for agriculture. As past president of Illinois Farm Bureau and former director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, he found himself in the thick of five farm bill discussions, as well as being called into D.C. to testify about our industry before the House and Senate ag committees. He was also the driving force in the middle 2000s to create an agricultural specialty license plate that benefits the Illinois Agricultural Association Foundation’s Ag in the Classroom efforts.
In just its first five years, the money raised through that specialty place topped $310,000 — and it’s only grown massively since.
Under Nelson’s leadership in 2007, Illinois Farm Bureau began “the ambitious project to petition the state of Illinois for a specialty plate paying homage to our rich agricultural heritage,” the IAA Foundation notes. Two years later, the first agricultural specialty plate became available to the public.
Today, it costs $40 extra for a vehicle — either as a first-time purchase or as a renewal — to get the plate, which is emblazoned with the words “Saluting Agriculture.” A portion of the money from each purchase and renewal is directed to the IAA Foundation and is used to support the ag in the classroom program.
“Hundreds of thousands of young students have learned more about agriculture, thanks to this partnership,” the foundation says.
And there is little doubt as to how rich the tradition of farming is in Illinois. The Land of Lincoln has 72,650 farms spanning 27 million acres. Corn and soybeans are the top crops, having led the nation in soybean production just a few years ago. It’s also usually ranked second nationally in the production of corn, most of which is used for livestock feed. In fact, it’s said that Illinois produces enough corn each year to fill a train of box cars stretching more than 7,600 miles from the state all the way to Hong Kong.
There are a few gems in the state outside those commodity crops. For example, Illinois leads the nation in the production of specialty crops, pumpkins, and horseradish.
The design on the Saluting Agriculture license plate prominently features grain bins next to a farmhouse, with silhouettes of cattle and swine in the bottom corner. Prominently shown atop the bins is the American flag.
A former Illinois Secretary of State’s Department of Vehicle Services official had told Farm World in 2009 that she was unsure who created the final design but said it was based on a design suggested by Illinois Farm Bureau.
The Saluting Agriculture license plates are multi-year and may be displayed on passenger vehicles, trucks, and vans weighing 8,000 pounds or less, and sport utility vehicles.
