‘It’s where I come from’: Farmer/legislator served on soybean board

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — When the annual Illinois Agricultural Legislative Day rolled around March 3, Mike Marron had the unique perspective of experiencing the event from both sides of the desk.

Marron has been the 104th District state representative since Sept. 7, 2018, and the Fithian Republican previously served as vice chairman, secretary-treasurer and representative of the Illinois Soybean Association’s District 7.

As an ISA officer, Marron was among the organization’s members who attended Agricultural Legislative Day to meet with legislators and share with them the importance of Illinois agriculture and the soybean industry.

He continues to operate the family farm with his father in rural Vermilion County and now listens to the concerns of the Prairie State’s agriculture industry as a lawmaker.

“My time on the soybean board was a great experience and it really prepared me well for this adventure. So, I have a lot of great background and a lot of great training that helps me out over here,’ Marron said.

ISA representatives stopped by Marron’s office in the William G. Stratton Building to visit with the farmer/legislator.

“I’m pretty receptive to their story obviously because it’s my background, it’s where I come from,” Marron said.

“It really makes me feel good to see the Soybean Association here advocating. It’s a pretty easy sell for me when they tell their story to me, but there are a lot of my colleagues that need to hear the story and need to hear how important agriculture is to our state. So, I really appreciate the producers taking the time to be involved and coming here to tell their story.”

Farming Advocate

Marron is one of only a handful of General Assembly members who are also farmers and believes it’s among his roles as a legislator to tell that story.

“It’s a critically important part of my role here to try to advocate for our industry and for the industry that makes up such a critical part of my district. But there’s no substitute for actually hearing it from the people that live it every day,” he said.

“I feel like I have a good reputation here. My colleagues trust me, but it means more when it comes from the actual producers, the farmers who are making the trip over here and actually taking the time out of their busy lives to tell the story.”

Hundreds of FFA members from across the state also delivered their messages to lawmakers at Agricultural Legislative Day, and 4-H members met with legislators the following day.

“What’s so exciting about that is seeing the youth of agriculture, the future leaders, and the future people that are going to move our industry forward. That has a big impact, too, because everybody likes to see a young leader and someone that’s going to be representing us in the future, representing our state in future. So, it has a lot of impact on legislators when young people come here.”