Turner Graduates from IFB Leadership Program
Stephanie Turner of Newman, IL, a member of Will County Farm Bureau, was among 19 graduates of the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT) program, a comprehensive leadership development course, on March 20.
Now in its 45th year, ALOT has graduated more than 1,200 leaders since 1979. The eight-session course featured experts in communication skills, political process, ag economics and global issues. Through a broad range of process and content skills, graduates enrich leadership abilities and enhance agriculture’s voice in Illinois.
Past graduates have included past and current Illinois state legislators and agricultural influencers across Illinois. Various leaders of the Illinois Farm Bureau have graduated from the ALOT program, including past-President Rich Guebert and current Vice President Evan Hultine.
Turner is an agronomist and field representative with Midwest Laboratories. She received her B.S. in Agronomy form Iowa State University and a A.S. in Agribusiness from Joliet Junior College. She was an active member in 4-H, as well as in Ag Business club and Agronomy club.
After graduation from Iowa State she went on to work for AHW John Deere for eight years as a Precision Ag Specialist and JDLink Administrator that led to a career change to Conservis as a Senior Customer Success Manager specializing in John Deere data. She has recently made the move back to agronomy for Midwest Laboratories. She raises Simmental show cattle with her family and volunteers with her counties 4-H organization.
“ALOT has been a great experience as a producer and an employee of the agriculture industry,” Turner said. “It has opened my world to more than what I know from my own day to day life. The people I’ve met and interacted with all bring their own perspectives and experiences to the future of agriculture.
“I am so thankful for this opportunity to be a part of ALOT I’ve learned so much about myself and others and how we all have to work together to have a successful future.”
The 2024 ALOT graduating class heard from nearly 30 speakers, with topics ranging from ag economics to state and local government policy to communication and professionalism and more. Graduates from 17 Illinois counties attended sessions across the state in Edwardsville, Mt. Vernon, Springfield, Salem, Bloomington, Ina and two virtual sessions on Zoom. Sessions are designed to give participants a head-start on tackling tomorrow’s leadership responsibilities.
Applications for the 2025 ALOT program can be sent to [email protected] and are due in November.