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Illinois Farm Bureau expanding CDL scholarship program amidst trucking shortages

The Illinois Farm Bureau has significantly increased funds earmarked for commercial drivers license scholarships in 2023 to $100,000.

President Rich Guebert tells Brownfield their members have been widely impacted by trucking shortages.

“Our local service company was having challenges having truck drivers to deliver products, to transport from the warehouse facilities to their local cooperatives and to deliver product to farmers.”

Guebert says in February 2022 the cost and time requirements to obtain a CDL in Illinois increased, so they offered four $1,000 scholarships every quarter to community colleges who provide CDL training to go toward the winning applicants’ tuition.

The board has voted to provide $100,000 toward the scholarships in 2023. Guebert says, “We hope that we can get support from GROWMARK and other firms to follow suit and add to that scholarship.”

He says the program benefits cooperatives and puts more safe, trained drivers on the road to deliver ag products.