New ILDG president sees growing demand for livestock
Rob Shaffer, the newly elected president of the Illinois Livestock Development Group (ILDG), knows firsthand there are opportunities to expand the state’s livestock industry.
Dan Grant
Published: Feb 10, 2012
Shaffer of El Paso and his brother, Emory, grow corn and soybeans in McLean and Woodford counties and they also operate a specialty beef business.
“We sell freezer beef to people in the (Central Illinois) area,” Shaffer told FarmWeek recently.
The Shaffers have a small herd of Angus cattle and they sell all the beef directly to local consumers.
In fact, demand for beef from the Shaffers currently is outpacing their ability to produce it.
“We’d like to expand,” said Shaffer, a fourth-generation farmer. “The problem is we’re running out of land.”
Overall, though, Shaffer believes Illinois has the resources (land and an abundant supply of feed) and is in the prime location to expand its livestock herd.
ILDG president Rob Shaffer
“ILDG’s mission is to promote and hopefully expand the livestock industry in Illinois,” Shaffer said.
Livestock receipts in the state the past decade declined from $2.3 billon to $1.7 billion.
But the industry more recently has shown some positive signs. The number of permits issued to expand or build livestock facilities in the state increased from 65 in 2010 to 91 last year.
“That’s a good sign (for the entire ag industry),” Shaffer said. “Usually, what’s good for livestock producers is good for grain producers.”
Shaffer also serves as the secretary of the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA).
He noted about 60 percent of ISA’s budget for the current fiscal year is geared toward animal agriculture.
“We (grain producers) have to remember they (livestock producers) are our No. 1 customer,” Shaffer said.
ILDG is comprised of the Illinois Beef, Corn Growers, Milk Producers, Pork Producers, and Soybean Associations and the Illinois Farm Bureau.
Other ILDG officers recently elected are Chad Schutz, vice president, White Hall (representing IFB); Mike Haag, treasurer, Emington (representing Illinois Pork Producers Association), and Doug Scheider, secretary, Freeport (representing Illinois Milk Producers Association).
For more information about ILDG or the state’s livestock industry, visit the website: www.illinoislivestock.org.
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