093_HR0546 LRB093 14321 KEF 19896 r 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 3 Representatives congratulate Larry Harris of Woodstock on 4 retiring from his position as the McHenry County Farm Bureau 5 Manager after 30 years of service; and 6 WHEREAS, Mr. Harris has promoted agriculture and fought 7 to protect prime farmland in the western part of the county 8 from encroaching development; he has been the voice for 9 McHenry County farmers since 1973; and 10 WHEREAS, Although the number of farmers in the Farm 11 Bureau has decreased from 1,500 to about 930, the number of 12 people participating for insurance has jumped from 3,300 to 13 8,500; the increased membership had made the bureau one of 14 the largest in Illinois, and has magnified its voice on 15 agriculture issues; and 16 WHEREAS, Preserving farmland has been a paramount 17 function of the bureau since it helped draft the county's 18 land-use plan in 1979; the bureau fought for and won a 19 minimum agriculture lot of 160 acres, with a public hearing 20 required before it can be subdivided; and 21 WHEREAS, Mr. Harris also implemented an Agriculture Expo 22 conducted every other year and Agriculture in the Classroom 23 to promote education; and 24 WHEREAS, In honor of Mr. Harris, an open house was held 25 on June 22, 2003 at the Farm Bureau Building in Woodstock; 26 therefore, be it 27 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 28 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 29 we congratulate Larry Harris upon his retirement as McHenry 30 County Farm Bureau Manager after many years of dedicated 31 service; we wish him well in all his future endeavors; and be -2- LRB093 14321 KEF 19896 r 1 it further 2 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 3 presented to Larry Harris as an expression of our respect and 4 esteem.