Marshel provides farmers with information, support

At this time of the year, it is usual to see the farmers working their fields, or the planted fields showing the evidence of the work done.

The heavy, frequent rains have changed the countryside this year, as they have prevented most farmers from having access to their fields with the farm machinery.

Ron Marshel recognizes the seriousness of the situation, sympathizes with the area farmers and continues to work to help better the agriculture industry for the farmers in his position of manager of the Fayette County Farm Bureau.

Marshel was born and grew up in a small, rural community in Wayne County. He has “roots” in agriculture, as his neighbors and uncles were farmers.

One might say he was later “transplanted” to Fayette County and has thrived well here. Fayette County has reaped the benefits of his education, experience and continuing interest, concern and knowledge in today’s agricultural programs.

His interest and concern is in the local fields, and includes the market, government programs and legislative activity.

“I’ve been with the Illinois Farm Bureau for 30 years and in Vandalia for 27,” he said.

“Agriculture has evolved so much, just what happens in Fayette County, in the state and worldwide. We have to know what is going on worldwide to really be able to market the commodities,” Marshel said.

“If you know what is going on, it gives you a little bit of a heads-up in marketing.”

So much has changed over the years.

“Even the Farm Bureau meetings that we have, have exploded (with information) at times because there is so much more information that we have to have,” he said. That means that his job demands much more time.

“My wife and I have been married for 34 years, and I kid her saying, ‘That’s not bad, considering we’ve been married about 15, because I’m always gone to meetings or something like that,” he said, also admitting he has “enjoyed every minute of it.”

Marshel has the ability to present accurate information in terms easily understood. He has a popular weekly radio show on Vandalia’s local station during which he shares information concerning agriculture and the various aspects of it.

“Cows and leather, the leather tanneries, for example, have seen a downturn, because there are fewer autos being made, so they have less demand for leather to be put in the autos,” he said.

“Most people don’t think of leather being a part of agriculture, but leather goes into the upholstery, the trim … it’s all a part of agriculture.

“There are other things agriculturally involved.” he said. “National agriculture statistics show there are about 21 or 22 people out of every 100 who are employed in an agriculturally-involved field.” This runs from the farmer to the truck driver, to the food server and cook, etc.

“Milk is very much agriculture, and we’re seeing lower prices right now. Not so much in the grocery stores, but for the farmer. As a result, many farmers are now reducing their herds,” Marshel said.

That causes the other cattle to be a little less in price, and it all trickles down,” he said. “One aspect changes another. “With sunflowers, apparently the federal government has decided they can now be added to the crop insurance program, where they were not included in the past.

“It is said that because of some low turnout, low yield and the inability to insure, some farmers had given up on sunflowers, from which your granola snacks and sunflower oil come from,” he said.

This year’s situation

With the continued heavy rains, most area farmers have been late getting into their fields.

“Unfortunately, we’ve had a lot of fields that just have not been touched this year, way too much,” he said.

“Last year, they were in, but had to replant and replant again. This year, they just haven’t been able to get into them.”

In Person

Marshel attended college at what was then Olney Central College (now Illinois Eastern Junior College) and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he graduated with degrees in administration of justice and in business.

He was an officer with the Vandalia Police Department from 1974-79.

“I enjoyed that, but I also had a degree in business and that kind of fit in with the Farm Bureau side,” he said.

“Having grown up in a rural area, I was familiar all my life with Farm Bureau. So that made quite a change. I decided that I would use my education a little bit more.

“Working with the farmers was something I was always used to, as our neighbors and uncles were farmers.”

I’ve always lived in the rural areas (Simms and Johnsonville). I enjoy the smaller towns,” Marshel said.

“I was in a training program after I was hired and went around to different parts of the state to county Farm Bureaus (including Fayette County) and asked questions all over the Southcentral part of the state.

“I received my first job as a manager was in Lawrenceville, where we stayed for three years. When I had the opportunity to come back to Fayette County, I jumped at the chance,” Marshel said. He started at the Fayette County Farm Bureau on Aug. 1, 1982.

His wife, Candy, has worked as a teacher’s aide for 24 years. She also sells real estate for Vandalia GMAC Real Estate, which, she says, helps fill her summer.

Their daughter, Amanda, has taught second grade for four years and also teaches college classes part-time.

On the Job

Last year was also a very rough year for area farmers, and Farm Bureau provided farmers with a lot of information on their insurance options.

The Farm Bureau also keeps track of farm bills in Springfield and Washington, D.C.

“We have full-time lobbyists, and we converse with those folks quite frequently. We discuss a lot of government programs and try to keep track,” Marshel said.

“There are so many bills introduced, that it is extremely hard for our six state lobbyists just to keep track of them. They try to keep us informed of those bills. Occasionally a member will question one that happened to slip through the cracks,” he said.

Marshel said that state Sen. Iris Martinez, a Democrat who is from a small territory north of Chicago, is supportive of her “farmer friends” of Fayette County and Farm Bureau. Her voting record for the Farm Bureau rose from about 29 percent to 89 percent to 94 percent. She support increased after visiting Fayette County, Marshel said.

“Farm Bureau is a private association and a grass roots organization. The American Farm Bureau is based in 50 states and Puerto Rico,” he said.

“The Fayette County Farm Bureau has evolved so much since I’ve been here,” Marshel said. “Now we have programs for all of our members, discount programs for the major theme parks and motels, all kinds of travel discounts, Granger supply company … all kinds of discount programs for farmers and non-farmers.”

Marshel enjoys his job and appreciates his directors and staff.

One of the more-depressing moments in his job came shortly after he started in Fayette County.

“I recall when we first started doing our crop survey, about 26 years ago. I went into a field and was not able to find an ear of corn to test,” Marshel said.

We felt so sorry for that producer. It was an extremely hot and dry year, and there just was not an ear of corn.”

Marshel believes that Fayette County’s farmer count has stayed pretty steady over the years.

“We haven’t lost a lot of farmers, but we haven’t gained a lot of farmers. It has stayed pretty static,” he said.

Marshel is looking forward to beginning his 28th year as Fayette County farmers’ friend and advocate.