Former GROWMARK president receives IFB’s Distinguished Service Award

CHICAGO — Former GROWMARK President John Reifsteck was named recipient of the 2025 Charles B. Shuman Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his lifetime of leadership and service to the agriculture industry.

Reifsteck was presented the award on Dec. 7 during Illinois Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting in Chicago.

The Distinguished Service Award, the highest award given by IFB, recognizes an individual who has given a lifetime of leadership and service to agriculture, or to a major segment of the state and/or nation.

The award honors the memory and service of Charles B. Shuman, a revered Moultrie County farm leader who served as president of both IFB and the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Reifsteck, of Champaign, served as president and chairman of GROWMARK from 2013 to 2022. He also served on the GROWMARK board of directors from 1993 to 2013; Illini FS board of directors from 1993 to 2006; and president of the Champaign County Farm Bureau from 1981 to 1983. He was also the founder and first president of the Champaign CFB Foundation.

Reifsteck was recognized for his unwavering support for Illinois agriculture.

He has hosted U.S. Department of Agriculture secretaries and numerous local, state and national elected officials, as well as Farm Bureau member and community education events, on the farm his grandfather built more than 100 years ago.

He has also been at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. His farm began serving as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research station in 1996.

He is also an affiliate farmer with the University of Illinois SCAPES team, which works to integrate photovoltaic technology into crop production.

Reifsteck was also involved in international relations through the U of I’s Chinese Leadership Program and chaired the board of directors for the Global Farmer Network.

Reifsteck holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and education from the U of I. He resides in Champaign with his wife, Nancy, where they raised their sons, Matthew and Nathan.