SB1668 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 11593 KMF 16927 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB1668

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Linda Holmes

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Illinois Harvest to Homes Pilot Program Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture, with meaningful input from stakeholders, shall develop an Illinois Harvest to Homes Pilot Program for a period of 5 years under which eligible entities may receive funding to provide agricultural surplus to communities of need. Creates an advisory council to support the Program. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to implement the program no later than 90 days after the effective date of the Act. Provides that aspects of the program that are eligible for funding may include: (1) reimbursement to growers for picking, packing, and processing agricultural surplus; (2) transportation to the food banks; (3) reimbursement to food banks for storage and distribution costs; (4) capacity building grants for food banks to invest in facility upgrades for processing agricultural surplus; (5) marketing and promotional activities related to the pilot program; and (6) program administration. Provides for reporting requirements. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning agriculture.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Illinois Harvest to Homes Pilot Program Act.

Section 3. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) In this State, nearly 1,500,000 people are struggling with hunger and of them 450,000 are children.

(2) This State has a potential agricultural surplus of 2,600 acres.

(3) Reporting shows that 50% of food grown is lost before consumption, including product that is not suitable for sale, but still edible.

(4) Providing funding to connect agricultural surplus with food banks can reduce food insecurity within vulnerable populations.

Section 5. Pilot program. The Department of Agriculture, with meaningful input from stakeholders, shall develop an Illinois Harvest to Homes Pilot Program for a period of 5 years under which eligible entities may receive funding to provide agricultural surplus to communities of need.

Section 10. Advisory Council. The program shall be administered by an organization selected by the Department and approved by the advisory council. The organization chosen must be a statewide organization whose membership is food banks. The advisory council shall be comprised of:

(1) one representative from a statewide environmental nonprofit organization;

(2) one representative from a statewide organization advocating on behalf of farmers;

(3) one representative from a statewide organization whose members support specialty crops and sustainable agriculture;

(4) one representative from a food bank from a county with a population over 3,000,000;

(5) one representative from a food bank encompassing northern Illinois;

(6) one representative from a food bank serving central or southern Illinois communities; and

(7) one representative from the Department of Agriculture.

Section 15. Rulemaking. The Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules to implement the program no later than 90 days after the effective date of this Act. These rules shall include, but are not limited to, entities and action eligible for funding, methods to connect growers and food banks, and methods to identify sources of surpluses. Aspects of the program that are eligible for funding may include:

(1) reimbursement to growers for picking, packing, and processing agricultural surplus;

(2) transportation to the food banks;

(3) reimbursement to food banks for storage and distribution costs;

(4) capacity building grants for food banks to invest in facility upgrades for processing agricultural surplus;

(5) marketing and promotional activities related to the pilot program; and

(6) program administration.

Section 20. Reporting. After 3 years from the date of implementation of the Illinois Harvest to Homes Pilot Program and after 5 years from the date of implementation of the pilot program, the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Human Services Commission to End Hunger shall submit a report to the General Assembly which documents the number of people served by the program information regarding the program's implementation.

Section 25. Repeal. This Act is repealed on July 1, 2027.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.