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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Farmers' markets provide not only a valuable
3 marketplace for farmers to sell their products directly to
4 consumers, but also a place for consumers to access fresh
5 fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products; and
 
6     WHEREAS, These markets successfully operate across
7 Illinois; however, there is a lack of comprehensive regulation
8 from one county to the next, resulting in discrepancies between
9 counties regarding the products that may be sold; and
 
10     WHEREAS, In 1999, the Department of Public Health published
11 "Technical Information Bulletin/Food #30," in order to outline
12 the sanitation guidelines required for farmers' markets,
13 producer markets, and other outdoor food sales events; and
 
14     WHEREAS, This bulletin has not been uniformly interpreted
15 across the State; therefore, be it
 
16     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
17 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the
18 Task Force on Farmers' Markets, consisting of 12 members
19 appointed as follows: the President of the Senate and Minority
20 Leader of the Senate shall each appoint one member to serve as
21 a co-chair; the Director of Public Health or his or her

 

 

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1 designee, the Director of Agriculture or his or her designee, a
2 representative of the Farm Bureau, 3 representatives of local
3 county public health departments appointed by the Director of
4 Public Health and selected from 3 different counties
5 representing each of the northern, central, and southern
6 portions of Illinois, and 4 members of the general public who
7 are engaged in local farmers' markets, 2 of whom shall each be
8 approved by a co-chair of the Task Force; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That all members of the Task Force shall serve
10 without compensation; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That the Task Force can appoint members as it
12 sees fit to serve as representatives of local farmers' markets
13 or other concerned parties; and be it further
 
14     RESOLVED, That the duty of the Task Force is to undertake a
15 comprehensive and thorough review of the current
16 implementation of the various Acts that define which products
17 and practices are permitted and which products and practices
18 are not permitted at farmers' markets and other outdoor food
19 sale events; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall assist the Department
21 of Public Health in developing interagency agreements and
22 programs and procedures regarding the implementation of the

 

 

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1 various Acts that define which products and practices are
2 permitted and which products and practices are not permitted at
3 farmers' markets and other outdoor food sale events; and be it
4 further
 
5     RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Public Health
6 shall provide staffing support to the Task Force and shall
7 administer and prepare all reports deemed necessary in
8 conjunction with the Task Force; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That the Task Force may request assistance from
10 any entity necessary or useful for the performance of its
11 duties; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue a report with its
13 recommendations to the Senate on or before December 31, 2008.