Richard L. Showalter. Mr. Showalter is a Mason County farmer and farm manager from Easton, Illinois. Since 1965, his farming operation has included raising corn, soybeans, wheat, and specialty crops. He is a 1956 graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Agriculture. After serving in the U.S. Army, Mr. Showalter became involved in elevator and feed mill operations as the Grain Merchant for the Illinois Grain Corporation, and in management for O.K. Grain and Feed and the Pillsbury Grain Company. He has held leadership positions as Mason County Farm Bureau President, Township and Multi-Township Clerk. He has served on the Imperial Valley Water Authority Advisory Board, the Manito Area Regional Economic Development Board, and the Central Illinois Groundwater Protection Planning Committee. He is committed to new exploration in agriculture by being involved in the Illinois River Sands Research Farm, C-FAR and the Land of Lincoln Agriculture Coalition. He holds stock in several agricultural service and grain cooperatives.