Senate Democrats are calling on Congress to pass a farm bill that will help create jobs, support local farmers, and provide fresh produce for consumers. Senators Dave Koehler, Jacqueline Collins, Michael Frerichs, and Linda Holmes are sponsoring Senate Resolution 530 urging Congress to support and expand successful steps already implemented in Illinois to the nation.

The farm bill is a package of federal legislation enacted every five to seven years to set the general direction for America’s farm and food policy.

"Local food systems are good for farmers, good for customers, good for the economy, and good for the environment.  When people buy locally-grown food, their money goes right back into the regional economy--not to some other state, and not overseas,” Koehler said. “They get to develop relationships with local farmers and learn where their food is really coming from.  They also help out the environment by reducing shipping costs and making it easier for farmers to grow a variety of different crops."

Last year, the State Senate passed Senate Bill 840, also supported by Senators Koehler, Collins, Frerichs, and Holmes, which eased regulations allowing farmers to sell their products at farmers’ markets without having to comply with the same standards as large commercial companies, allowing small-scale farmers the ability to sell their food directly to consumers.

"As Chairman of the Senate's Committee on Agriculture and Conservation, I'm very aware of the growing demand for locally grown food in Illinois," said Frerichs. "I hope our representatives in Congress also recognize this demand, and strongly encourage them to pass an updated farm bill that addresses the issue of local and regional food systems in a real and substantive way."

The Senators are calling on Congress to make similar changes at a federal level that the Illinois General Assembly passed last year.  If Congress were to relax these standards for small-scale farmers, local and regional foods could become more available for consumers in Illinois and around the country.  By passing these new standards last year, Illinois farmers who were not large enough to abide by these regulations are now able to sell their local goods in local markets.

"This will create jobs by helping farmers in my district get their crops to buyers,” Senator Forby said.  “We need more laws that help farmers sell their crops."

Last year, the State Senate also passed Senate Bill 1852, which created a Farmers’ Market Task Force to ensure standards were relaxed enough to allow farmers to sell their products without too many regulations , but also ensure that safety and sanitary conditions were maintained.  These positive steps taken by Illinois need to be implemented at a federal level as well.

“The fact that all but a tiny percentage of the fruits, vegetables, and meats that Illinoisans eat are produced in other states or countries is an astonishing imbalance and presents us with an enormous opportunity,” Senator Collins said. “The legislation we passed was an important step forward that will continue to enable farmers in the state to produce and sell fresh food in their local communities.”