HJ0057

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Farmers' markets provide not only a valuable 
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marketplace for farmers to sell their products directly to 
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consumers, but also a place for consumers to access fresh 
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fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products; and

 
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    WHEREAS, These markets successfully operate across 
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Illinois; however, there is a lack of comprehensive regulation 
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from one county to the next, resulting in discrepancies between 
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counties regarding the products that may be sold; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1999, the Department of Public Health published 
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"Technical Information Bulletin/Food #30," in order to outline 
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the sanitation guidelines required for farmers' markets, 
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producer markets, and other outdoor food sales events; and

 
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    WHEREAS, This bulletin has not been uniformly interpreted 
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across the State; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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there is created the Task Force on Farmers' Markets, consisting 
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of 14 members appointed as follows: the President of the 
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Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the 
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House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House 
 


 






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of Representatives shall each appoint one member; the Director 
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of Public Health or his or her designee, the Director of 
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Agriculture or his or her designee, a representative of a 
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general agricultural production association, 3 representatives 
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of local county public health departments appointed by the 
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Director of Public Health and selected from 3 different 
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counties representing each of the northern, central, and 
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southern portions of Illinois, and 4 members of the general 
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public who are engaged in local farmers' markets appointed by 
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the Director of Agriculture; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Director of Public Health shall serve as 
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the chair; the Task Force shall meet at the call of the Chair; 
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and the members of the Task Force shall serve without 
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compensation; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force can appoint members as it 
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sees fit to serve as representatives of local farmers' markets 
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or other concerned parties; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the duty of the Task Force is to undertake a 
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comprehensive and thorough review of the current 
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implementation of the various Acts that define which products 
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and practices are permitted and which products and practices 
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are not permitted at farmers' markets and other outdoor food 
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sale events; and be it further

 
 


 






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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall assist the Department 
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of Public Health in developing interagency agreements and 
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programs and procedures regarding the implementation of the 
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various Acts that define which products and practices are 
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permitted and which products and practices are not permitted at 
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farmers' markets and other outdoor food sale events; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Public Health 
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shall provide staffing support to the Task Force and shall 
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administer and prepare all reports deemed necessary in 
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conjunction with the Task Force; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force may request assistance from 
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any entity necessary or useful for the performance of its 
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duties; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue a report with its 
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recommendations to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of 
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the House on or before December 31, 2009.