Illinois legislators are pushing to support local farms by using state dollars to purchase their products. The move comes after small farmer Nathan Ryder lost out on federal funding due to cuts made by the Trump administration. Ryder had plans to use the money to expand his farm operations and increase access to healthy food in his rural area.
Lawmakers are working on two bills aimed at helping local farmers. The first bill, HB 3701, would allocate state funds to purchase farm food locally, while the second bill, HB 2196, focuses on helping poultry farmers sell more products directly to consumers. Both bills have received support from the Illinois General Assembly and Governor JB Pritzker.
The Good Food Purchasing Law proposed by Rep. Sonya Harper aims to promote purchasing locally sourced food within Illinois state departments. If passed, Illinois would be the first state to implement such a program. Another bill seeks to loosen regulations on poultry processing, providing more opportunities for local farmers to grow their businesses.
While these bills have faced some opposition and setbacks, they have shown strong bipartisan support. Advocates believe that these measures will not only support local farmers but also increase access to healthy food for the 3 million Illinoisans living in food deserts. The bills are currently under review by the Pritzker administration and awaiting further action in the Senate.
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