SJ0056 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0056 LRB094 15655 RSP 50864 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The stability and livelihood of farms and family farmers, the food and fiber industry, and the food processing, commodity marketing, and agriculture-related industries of this State have been endangered by severe drought conditions during the 2005 growing season; and

WHEREAS, On July 27th, 2005, United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns designated 102 Illinois counties as agriculture disaster areas due to the drought, and the United States Drought Monitor indicates that Illinois remains in an extreme drought that has greatly impacted the productivity of Illinois crops and this State's economy; and

WHEREAS, Illinois' food and fiber industry employs nearly one million people, food processing is the State's number-one manufacturing activity adding almost $13.4 billion annually to the value of Illinois' raw agricultural commodities, and the marketing of Illinois' agricultural commodities generates more than $9 billion annually for the State economy; and

WHEREAS, Billions more dollars flow into this State's economy from agriculture-related industries, such as farm machinery manufacturing, agricultural real estate, and production and sale of value-added food products, which employ millions of people; and

WHEREAS, The declaration of Illinois counties as agriculture disaster areas due to the drought allows some indirect relief to qualified producers in the form of eligibility for low interest federal and State emergency loan programs that allow producers to borrow moneys for production and physical losses; notwithstanding these programs, a comprehensive national Crop Disaster Program that authorizes direct disaster payments to producers could provide better, more immediate, and more uniform protection to farmers against natural disasters and drought conditions; and

WHEREAS, It is in the best interests of the State of Illinois and the United States to provide the best protections available to the vital agricultural sector of our economy; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the United States Congress to promote and protect agriculture in Illinois and throughout the United States by passing a comprehensive national Crop Disaster Program that includes direct disaster payments to producers and that includes disaster payments to Illinois producers who suffered a loss during the 2005 growing season; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and the President of the United States.