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1
HOUSE JOINT 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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
17 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
18 there is created the Task Force on Farmers' Markets, consisting
19 of 14 members appointed as follows: the President of the
20 Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the
21 House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House

 

 

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

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall assist the Department
2 of Public Health in developing interagency agreements and
3 programs and procedures regarding the implementation of the
4 various Acts that define which products and practices are
5 permitted and which products and practices are not permitted at
6 farmers' markets and other outdoor food sale events; and be it
7 further
 
8     RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Public Health
9 shall provide staffing support to the Task Force and shall
10 administer and prepare all reports deemed necessary in
11 conjunction with the Task Force; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That the Task Force may request assistance from
13 any entity necessary or useful for the performance of its
14 duties; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue a report with its
16 recommendations to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of
17 the House on or before December 31, 2009.