New manager named for Madison County Farm Bureau

Paige Langenhorst has been named the new manager of Madison County Farm Bureau in Edwardsville.

The appointment was effective as of Dec. 1. She was previously the manager of Lawrence County Farm Bureau.

“Growing up in Germantown, having family in Madison County and spending two of my college years interning with CHS out of Pocahontas, I am beyond excited to be home and working in the county that shaped my agriculture career,” she said in a letter.

Langenhorst attended Kaskaskia College on a soccer scholarship from 2015-2017 and received an Associate of Applied Science in Plant and Soil Science, as well as an Associate of Applied Science in Ag Business.  From there she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale and graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Economics.

“I began my agriculture career as a full-time farmhand on a dairy operation in Jamestown.  From there, I went to work for CHS in Pocahontas.”

In 2017, she interned as a crop scout under Kyle Brase and Andrew Hellmann.  In 2018, she was a sales and management intern at the Pocahontas plant under Ryan Grotefendt, Scott Benson and Rich Metzger.

Following graduation, she began her career with Illinois Farm Bureau as a manager trainee in January 2019.  That February, she was hired as Lawrence County Farm Bureau manager.

“I spent almost two years there.  Throughout my time with Farm Bureau, I have found my top interests are consumer education and legislative activities,” she said.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her three Labrador retrievers, family and friends, as well as hunting, outdoor activities, volunteering, watching/playing sports and traveling.

Retiring manager Tom Jett and Cassie Luechtefeld “have served many impressive years here.  I am very grateful for everything they have done and honored to succeed them both,” she said.

Luechtefeld was the assistant manager in Madison County and recently named the manager of the St. Clair County bureau.