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91_HR0643 LRB9113469MWgc 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, Farming is the number one industry in the State 3 of Illinois; and 4 WHEREAS, Over the past 40 years, Illinois' agriculture 5 industry has experienced major financial difficulties; and 6 WHEREAS, Approximately 18% of Illinois farms had negative 7 incomes during 1999; and 8 WHEREAS, Illinois is a leading producer of soybeans, 9 corn, and swine; and 10 WHEREAS, According to Illinois Agricultural Statistic 11 Service's 1992 Census there were 77,610 farms and in the 1997 12 Census the number dropped to 73,051 farms; and 13 WHEREAS, The marketing of Illinois' agricultural 14 commodities annually generates more than $9,000,000,000; 15 therefore, be it 16 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 17 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 18 there is created the Farming Future Task Force; and be it 19 further 20 RESOLVED, That the Farming Future Task Force shall 21 consist of 4 voting members, 2 of whom shall be members of 22 the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 23 House and 2 of whom shall be members of the House of 24 Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the 25 House; and be it further 26 RESOLVED, That the Farming Future Task Force shall 27 include the Director of Agriculture, or his or her designee, 28 and the Executive Director of the Illinois Farm Development 29 Authority, or his or her designee, as advisory non-voting 30 members; and be it further -2- LRB9113469MWgc 1 RESOLVED, That the Farming Future Task Force shall 2 include one representative of the Illinois Farm Bureau 3 appointed by the Speaker of the House, one representative of 4 the Illinois Farmers Union appointed by the Speaker of the 5 House, one representative of the Illinois corn growers 6 appointed by the Speaker of the House, one representative of 7 the Illinois Beef Association appointed by the Minority 8 Leader of the House, and one representative of Illinois pork 9 producers appointed by the Minority Leader of the House as 10 non-voting members; and be it further 11 RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet as soon as 12 possible after at least 3 legislative members have been 13 appointed, a majority of the voting members shall select a 14 voting member to serve as chairperson of the Task Force at 15 its initial meeting, the members of the Task Force shall 16 serve without compensation but be reimbursed for their 17 reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for 18 that purpose, the Task Force shall receive the assistance of 19 legislative staff, legislative agencies, and, upon request, 20 private and public organizations, and the Task Force shall 21 study and report to the General Assembly, on or before 22 December 31, 2000, ideas and suggestions for (i) promoting 23 value-added programs, (ii) alternative uses for agricultural 24 products, (iii) State laws and rules burdening farmers, and 25 (iv) expanding agricultural markets; and be it further 26 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 27 delivered to the Director of Agriculture and the Executive 28 Director of the Illinois Farm Development Authority.