The first inkling of an agricultural organization in Randolph County started in the fall of 1915 at the Sparta Fair. C.C. Logan, a representative from the University of Illinois, spent time at a booth testing soil and speaking with farmers about soil fertility problems. It was them someone asked if it was possible to have someone on the job to continually provide those kinds of service to farmers in Randolph County.

It was not until the next fall official action would be taken. On October 18, 1916 Professor Handschin of the University of Illinois met with the farmers of Randolph County and proposed the formation of an organization. It was moved by Charles G. McKinley of Tilden to adopt a constitution and by-laws and the name of the organization was to be “The Randolph County Crop and Soil Improvement Association.”

The first official meeting of the new southern Illinois organization was held on November 4, 1916 where dues, set at $3 at the time, were collected from 394 members. The first officers elected were President Frank H. McKelvery, VP R.S. Stevenson, Secretary C.D. Stahlberg, and Treasurer Ellsworth East.

J.J. Doerschuck was the first farm advisor hired in July 1917 for the purpose of providing service to the members. The first director of the organization, which is today referred to as the manager, was hired in 1934. The position of farm adviser has been done away with, but the Randolph County Farm Bureau still hires a manager.

In 1919, the Illinois Agriculture Association was formed and the Randolph County Crop and Soil Improvement Association became the Randolph County Farm Bureau.