Illinois Wheat Development Board Election Results Announced

Nov 21, 2025

This election filled three (3) statewide at-large board member positions and five (5) of the six (6) district board member positions on the first Illinois Wheat Development Board. The newly seated board will be responsible for the appointment of the final board member position residing in District 5, which includes the Illinois counties of Franklin, Jackson, Perry and Randolph. Newly elected board members will serve for one-, two- or three-year term as determined by the initial board.

“Congratulations and a big thank you to those being elected to the Illinois Wheat Development Board,” said Jerry Costello II, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “I am confident this group will work hard to build a strong and sustainable future for Illinois’ wheat industry.”

The Illinois Wheat Development Board will oversee the check-off dollars derived from assessments levied at the first point of sale. State law limits the total assessment levied up to 1.5 cents per bushel of wheat. The program that was adopted by referendum in March sets the assessment at 1.5 cents per bushel.

Statewide Illinois Wheat Development Board At-Large Board Members:

1. Brandon Warren, Wayne County

2. John Howell, Randolph County

3. Jarod Weaver, Edwards County

Source : illinois.gov

Video: Developing disease resistance in new wheat varieties

Dr. Colin Hiebert, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Morden, is focused on developing new tools that wheat breeders can use to improve, diversify and strengthen disease resistance in new wheat varieties. This includes new genomic tools that address resistance to five diseases including: Fusarium head blight, leaf rust, stripe rust, stem rust and common bunt.

Learn more about how research conducted at AAFC-Morden will impact wheat variety development, production and profitability for the future. This research is part of the Canadian National Wheat Cluster and funding is provided through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Alberta Grains, Sask Wheat, Manitoba Crop Alliance, Western Grains Research Foundation and Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance.