The Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau gives out an award annually to a local contributor to the agriculture industry. This year’s recipient of the 2021 Ag Service Award is local farmer Lynn Shimmin. Shimmin shares with us how he got started in the industry:
“I grew up on a farm between Monmouth and Roseville and my dad and grandpa were farming together at that time. I guess I really never thought about farming until later in my high school years and when I went to college because they really had a small farm and there didn’t appear at that time to me to be a place for me. Then I later went to the University of Illinois, and I decided a desk job or studying wasn’t for me for the rest of my life. So I came back and joined my brother, my dad, and my grandpa. We expanded our hog and cattle operation, and now it’s transformed, continuing into the next generation.”
Gina Long, Manager of the Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau, gives more insight to who Shimmin is as a person and as a farmer:
“One story I have to plug in—I sent Lynn a questionnaire with some information for the write-up we did for Lynn, and the back side of the sheet wasn’t filled. The question on the back side of the sheet was, ‘Tell us some of your hobbies or something people may not know about you.’ I forgot Lynn forgot to fill it out, and so when I called him, he said, ‘No, I saw that question; you asked what my hobbies are. Well, I don’t know. Farming is my hobby.’”
Shimmin has been farming ever since 1975 and has a Master’s degree in nutrition. He has been essential to educating people about agriculture through 4-H, FFA, and the Farm Bureau, and he volunteers every year to help run and organize the Warren County Fair. The plaque for the award will be hung in the Farm Bureau’s office in Monmouth.
The Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau® proudly presented this year’s Ag Service Award to Roseville farmer, Lynn Shimmin.
Born and raised in Roseville, Lynn is the son of Cecil and Evelyn Shimmin. Lynn received his bachelor’s degree in Ag Science from the University of Illinois and later a master’s degree in Nutrition. Lynn has been farming with his family since 1975. Lynn and his wife Peggy are the parents of daughter Michelle Aguerrevere and son Kendall Shimmin.
Ag industry involvement for Lynn includes past or current positions of the following: President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Warren County Fair; Secretary and board member of the Illinois State Pork Producers, Chairman and Secretary of the Illinois Spring Barrow Show, State Board President of the University of Illinois Extension, Chairman of the Warren County Prime Beef Festival, Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau member, 4-H Leader, 4-H Livestock Judging Coach, and Ag in the Classroom Presenter. Additionally, Lynn and his family have given farm tours to groups for many
years.
When asked his favorite part of working in the ag industry, Lynn stated, “It is exciting to me to see youth who have worked on our farm or been on the judging team who I have spent a lot of time with, grow in their various industry leadership roles. I enjoy the relationships that have been built over the years with business people who have helped make our farm & agricultural community more successful.”
Lynn left a question blank on the recipient questionnaire W-HFB sent him. The question was: ‘What are some of your hobbies or something people don’t know about you?’ When asked why he did not give a response to the question, Lynn fittingly responded, “Well, I don’t know, farming is my hobby.” After some further prying, Lynn did come up with the non-ag related enjoyment of attending past Monmouth-Roseville Titan events and traveling to see the Fighting Illini play football and basketball games.
Lynn is a prime example of someone who is a supporter of agriculture and giving back. His various local and state board representation has benefited farmers and their ever-evolving industry. His unending willingness to lend effort has benefited community citizens and their ability to attend annual fairs and events – Lynn could tell you better than most how much work must go on behind the scenes to make fairs and shows happen. And finally, as someone who himself is highly educated in agriculture fields of study, Lynn’s support of 4-H groups and ag in the classroom has benefited area youth and helped expose them to the industry that is indeed Lynn’s hobby.
The Ag Service Award is an annual award Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau® started giving out in 1992. It is awarded to an individual who has been a great supporter of agriculture and given unselfishly to help others in the agricultural field. Recent recipients of the award include: Vanessa Wetterling (2016), Mark Phillipson (2017), Carol Ricketts (2018), Rob Elliott (2019), and Don McIntyre (2020).
***Courtesy of Gina Long, Manager of the Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau***
