By BETH ZUMWALT
Photo courtesy of the Illinois Soybean Association.
A photo similar to the one used for Illinois Farm Families for the organizations Super Bowl ad features the Bradshaw-Willard families. Left to right: Bennett, Nicole, Brock and Archer Willard and Phil Bradshaw.
Brock Willard and his family, along with his grandfather will be featured at the Super Bowl. No, they won’t be suited up on the side lines, but they will be featured in an advertisement promoting Illinois Farm Families.
“They used a photo of Brock’s family with me that was taken when we did a documentary for China,” Bradshaw said.
There are two other pictures in the ad, one featuring Bradshaw alone and one featuring Brock and Bennett in the combine. Dozens of other Illinois families are also featured.
“A lot of people believe that Illinois Farms are owned by corporations,” Bradshaw said. “Actually, 96 percent are owned by families, most of them generational.”
The ad goes on to say how important it is that younger generations want to join the family farm so that farm traditions and productions carry on.
Bradshaw’s farm is generational as he; his son, Todd; and grandson, Brock Willard, handle the day-to-day duties of the operation.
