Winners Showcase the Pride in Illinois Agriculture
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced the winners of the 2021 Cream of the Crop Photo Contest. The annual contest encourages young photographers to explore and take photos that share their vision of agriculture in our state.
“Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Cream of the Crop photo contest and thank you to every student who submitted a photo,” Frerichs said. “We are proud of the images of Illinois agriculture captured by students across throughout our state. Through the hundreds of beautiful photos submitted, we can see first-hand why Illinois is a worldwide leader in agriculture.” Winning photo entries can be viewed here. Winning entries and other submissions will be featured in a 2021-2022 calendar and used in marketing materials.
There were three age-based categories for this year’s contest: ages 8-10, 11-14, and 15-18. Each student was allowed to submit up to two photos by June 24.
Ag Invest is one of the nation’s largest agricultural linked deposit programs. It helps hundreds of Illinois farmers and agriculture professionals. The treasurer’s office, through the Ag Invest program, partners with eligible lenders to offer farmers and ag businesses annual and long-term, low-interest loans which can be used for operating costs, equipment purchases, construction- related expenses, and livestock purchases.
For more information about the Cream of the Crop Photo contest, visit our website at
8-10 Age Bracket Winners First Place: Caroline Lee, My Life, Wellington, IL (Iroquois County) Second Place: Caroline Lee, Competitive Cattle, Wellington IL (Iroquois County) Third Place: Lilah Poplawski, Soaking up the Sunshine, Downers Grove, IL (DuPage County) 11-14 Age Bracket Winners First Place: Nolan Lee, Family Tradition, Wellington, IL (Iroquois County) First Place: Blake Ferguson-Allen, Butterfly on Sunflower, Dixon, IL (Lee County) Second Place: Greta Falk, Baby Chick and Radishes, Elburn, IL (Kane County) Third Place: Alyssa Ellison, Frozen Berries, Crystal Lake (McHenry County) 15-18 Age Bracket Winners First Place: Anna Johnson, The Purest Bond, Durand, IL (Winnebago County) Second Place: Gordon Rath, Farming Planting in the Rain, East Dubuque, IL (Jo Daviess County) Third Place: Denzell Schwartz, Nap Time, Franklin Grove, IL (Lee County) About the Illinois Treasurer As Illinois State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately $52 billion. The portfolio includes $27 billion in state funds, $16 billion in retirement and college savings plans and $9 billion on behalf of local and state governments. Frerichs’ office protects consumers by safeguarding more than $3.5 billion in unclaimed property, encouraging savings plans for college or trade school, increasing financial education among all ages, assisting people with disabilities save without losing government benefits, and removing barriers to a secure retirement. The Treasurer’s Office predates Illinois incorporation in 1818. Voters in 1848 chose to make it an elected office.