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Illinois Farm Bureau president raises concerns over board transition with Country Financial

The president of the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) says a long-standing precedent in the transition of power within the organization and its insurance company, Country Financial, is being circumvented.

Phillip Nelson, who was elected by IFB members in December, says the board of directors for the two groups traditionally overlaps.   

“We had an election in Chicago.”  He says, “Five of those people that were replaced, including the past president, haven’t resigned.  In the 100 year history of Country and Farm Bureau, we’ve never seen anything like this before.”

Jennifer McDade, director of external affairs with Country Financial, tells Brownfield that the Country Mutual Board serves one-year terms that start at the Country Annual Meeting each April.

“Those policyholders from 19 states give the Illinois Farm Bureau board the proxy to elect and seat the Country Mutual board on their behalf.”  She says, “The sole threshold Illinois Farm Bureau must meet in doing this is electing individuals who operate in the best interests of Country Mutual and its policyholders.”

AUDIO: Jennifer McDade – Country Financial

Nelson says that in the past, displaced board members have resigned from the Country board before the April meeting.

Brian Duncan, current Country Mutual Board chair, released a statement to Brownfield in which he says, “In light of lawsuits that are underway, regardless of who is serving on the COUNTRY Board, we need to maintain a steady focus on what is best for COUNTRY and its clients.”

Nelson says it’s an added challenge that’s drawn criticism from membership.  

“It concerns everybody because I’m hearing it from members.”  He says, “Elections do matter, and I think we’ve got to address that because those of us that were elected will not be seated on the Country board next week.”

In an email to county farm bureau presidents and numerous others obtained by Brownfield, Duncan says the new Farm Bureau members were invited to attend legally called meetings of the Country Mutual Board, but they declined to participate under the confidentiality protections that were put in place for the organization and individuals.   Also, the current COUNTRY Mutual Board will retain their seats to provide continuity and leadership through April 2026. That email was signed by all the current Country Mutual board members.

The first IFB board meeting to include the newly elected members of the board begins on Tuesday.

Duncan declined an interview with Brownfield, but released the following statement:

“The COUNTRY Board serves one‑year terms that start at the COUNTRY Annual Meetings each April. The next one is on April 22, 2026. Board members can step down earlier if they want to. Some choose to do that when their IFB Board service wraps up, but they don’t have to.

At the April annual meetings, the stockholders for our stock companies (like COUNTRY Life) and the policyholders for our mutual company (COUNTRY Mutual) elect new board members.  For the mutual company, the Illinois Farm Bureau board carries proxies for the mutual company policyholders, meaning they vote on their behalf.

These elections aren’t the same as IFB elections because the COUNTRY Boards have their own work to do. When the IFB Board picks COUNTRY Directors, they’re choosing people whose job in that role is to look out for COUNTRY and its clients, not to carry out IFB duties. What matters most is that COUNTRY Directors always stay focused on serving all COUNTRY clients, those in Illinois plus in the 18 other states where COUNTRY operates.

In light of lawsuits that are underway, regardless of who is serving on the COUNTRY Board, we need to maintain a steady focus on what is best for COUNTRY and its clients.”

AUDIO: Phillip Nelson – Illinois Farm Bureau