SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A new Illinois FFA reporter, Cooper Nelson, of Canton (Fulton County), was elected as part of the five-person 2023-2024 Illinois FFA State Officer Team following an exciting in-person voting session that lasted well into the afternoon of June 15.

That same day, Illinois-based agriculture industry media members were feted at a luncheon at the Bank of Springfield Center – home to the Illinois FFA State Convention – sponsored by the Illinois Farm Media Association. The senior reporters were joined for the event by the runners-up for the FFA state reporter position and Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr.

Nelson, 18, was too busy answering the questions of ag media reporters during the start of the luncheon to participate, though he didn’t seem to mind. The Canton High School graduate told the media he had envisioned himself in a major leadership role since middle school.

“I ran for and got elected to the student council and I fell in love with that. It’s important to be a leader that others will want to follow, so I’m thrilled to take on the challenge,” said Nelson, the son of Brent and Cassie Nelson. “As a state officer, I look forward to connecting with new people and having a positive impact on them. I want to show members that by being passionate about the FFA and working hard, they’ll have a great experience.”

After his prior election as Section 12 president for Illinois FFA, Nelson decided to go “all in” for the organization. “When I was a freshman, I was very into sports, but as I grew older FFA became more of my priority. When I decided to run for section president, I made FFA my top priority for my high school career,” he said.

Nelson said he is looking forward to meeting new FFA members from across the state that have joined since Illinois became an affiliated FFA state in 2022, meaning that all agriculture students can enroll in the program free of charge. “Specifically to the younger members, my message would be to challenge yourself to become the best you can be,” he said. “As State FFA Reporter I’m looking forward to hearing their stories and sharing the news of their achievements.”

Though not from a traditional agriculture background, Nelson enjoyed showing livestock at a nearby hobby farm through his association with 4-H and Canton FFA. He has completed FFA SAE (supervised agricultural experience) books on sheep and cattle production. He credits his Canton High School FFA adviser, Colton Downs, with mentoring him through his FFA career.

“(Downs) is a younger adviser and he’s super connected with the kids. He’s a role model to many of us,” Nelson said.

The recent high school graduate completed his first two semesters of junior college work via Google during his senior year. He plans to finish his associate’s degree before deciding what career path to explore following his year as a state FFA officer.

“I would like to stay in the agricultural field, for sure. This is a new development for me, actually. This past year as section president has changed my mind and opened my eyes to that. I’m hoping to use this year to feel out these opportunities before I decide exactly what I want to do,” said Nelson, who added that he cannot wait to get to FFA Leadership Camp this summer.

In his spare time Nelson enjoys outdoor recreation. He was a member of the Canton High School bass fishing team, as well as the Little Giants’ archery and trap shooting teams. “It was awesome; I loved it,” he said.