4-H members recognized for ag leadership

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Ten Illinois 4-H members who exemplified outstanding leadership in the agricultural industry and demonstrate a desire to remain engaged were recently recognized as 2025-2026 Illinois Sustaining the Future Award recipients.

As Sustaining the Future Award recipients, these dedicated and hardworking 4-H members are invited to attend the Premier 20 Leadership Conference, an elite youth leadership and professional development opportunity, to be held April 27-28 at the Illinois Farm Bureau headquarters in Bloomington.

The award recipients are:

• Abagail Baumann — Boone County.

• Ryan Carlson — Marshall County.

• Makinzie Gaither — Lawrence County.

• Ethan Lee — Whiteside County.

• Grace McCarty — White County.

• Addison McGlaughlin — Boone County.

• Caitlin Murphy — Peoria County.

• Lane Perry — Clark County.

• Ojas Shah — McLean County.

• Shiloh Willis — Hamilton County.

The Sustaining the Future Award is sponsored by Illinois Farm Bureau and the Youth Education in Agriculture Committee.

About Youth Education in Agriculture

IFB united forces through the Youth Education in Agriculture Committee to provide quality programs for agricultural education in Illinois.

The YEA Committee is comprised of representatives from each of the IFB family of companies, Illinois 4-H and Illinois FFA.

The committee conducts programs to both develop and recognize outstanding professional development skills among youth in agriculture.