96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB0015


 
Introduced 1/30/2009, by Sen. John J. Cullerton
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		













505 ILCS 84/5










    Amends the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning locally grown and organic food.
















LRB096 07573 RCE 17668 b

















 


 


A BILL FOR









 











SB0015

LRB096 07573 RCE 17668 b






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    AN ACT concerning agriculture.

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
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represented in the General Assembly:


 
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    Section 5. The Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act is 
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amended  by changing Section 5 as follows:
 
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    (505 ILCS 84/5)

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    Sec. 5. Legislative findings.
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    Illinois should be the Midwest leader in local and and 
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organic food and fiber production.
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    One thousand five hundred miles is the average travel 
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distance for food items now consumed in this State, and 
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agricultural products sold directly for human consumption 
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comprise less than 0.2% of  Illinois farm sales.
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    Ninety-five percent of organic food sold in this State is 
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grown and processed outside of the State, resulting in food 
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dollars being exported.
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    Illinois ranks fifth in the nation in loss of farmland.
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    The market for locally grown foods and for organic food is 
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expanding rapidly.
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    Consumers would benefit from additional local food outlets 
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that make fresh and affordable Illinois grown foods more 
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accessible in both rural and urban communities.
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    Communities are experiencing significant problems of 
 


 






SB0015
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obesity and nutrition, including lack of daily access to fresh 
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fruits and vegetables.
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    Low-income communities that are currently "food deserts" 
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lacking sufficient markets selling fresh fruits and vegetables 
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would benefit from local food distribution systems.
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    The State's urban communities are showing renewed interest 
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in growing food in urban areas.
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    Rural communities would be revitalized by increasing the 
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number of families in the State that live on small properties 
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and by providing fresh high-value local food.
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    Farmers who wish to transition from conventional 
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agriculture to local and organic food would benefit from 
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training and support to diversify their farming operations.
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    Food consumers, farmers, and entrepreneurs would benefit 
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from an expanded infrastructure for processing, storing, and 
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distributing locally grown foods.
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    The capture of existing food dollars within the State would 
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help to revitalize the State's treasury by creating a broad 
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range of new in-state jobs and business opportunities within 
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both rural and urban communities.
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    For the purposes of this Act and for the retention of the 
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greatest benefit from every food dollar spent in this State, 
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support for local food means capturing in Illinois the greatest 
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portion of food production, processing, storing, and 
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distribution possible.



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(Source: P.A. 95-145, eff. 8-14-07.)