Full Text of SJR0105 96th General Assembly
SJ0105 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, Agricultural pesticide products in Illinois have | 3 |
| been proven to protect and improve crop yield by controlling | 4 |
| weed competition, protecting against insect damage, and | 5 |
| enhancing plant health; and
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| WHEREAS, The application of these products by licensed | 7 |
| professionals contributes significantly to the Illinois | 8 |
| agricultural industry's ability to improve farm receipts and | 9 |
| economic output despite the fact that crop acreage in Illinois | 10 |
| continues to be lost to urban development; and
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| WHEREAS, The specialty crop industry, which includes | 12 |
| vineyards, organic farms, fruit and vegetable farms, | 13 |
| horticultural operations, and bee apiaries, is also a vital and | 14 |
| growing sector of the State's agricultural industry; and
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| WHEREAS, Some of these specialty crops are particularly | 16 |
| sensitive to some agricultural pesticides commonly used in | 17 |
| grain production; and
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| WHEREAS, Both the modern grain production industry and the | 19 |
| specialty crop industry have expressed a desire to find a | 20 |
| method to better communicate the presence and location of | 21 |
| sensitive crops in order to avoid conflicts or |
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| misunderstandings regarding pesticide applications made near | 2 |
| these sensitive crops and to avoid any potential drift | 3 |
| scenarios; and
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Agriculture, in | 5 |
| cooperation with the agrichemical industry, is in the process | 6 |
| of implementing a comprehensive internet-based geographic | 7 |
| information system that will allow specialty growers to | 8 |
| voluntarily share the physical location of their production | 9 |
| areas with the agrichemical industry in order to assist the | 10 |
| agrichemical industry in further minimizing and mitigating the | 11 |
| potential for pesticide drift onto these crops; and
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| WHEREAS, This internet-based geographic information system | 13 |
| will be used not only in Illinois, but also in Indiana, Ohio, | 14 |
| Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and its implementation | 15 |
| will be initially funded by the Region 5 USEPA in order to | 16 |
| avoid excessive cost to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, | 17 |
| the State of Illinois, and all agricultural producers; and
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| WHEREAS, Growers of sensitive crops may voluntarily use | 19 |
| this system to identify their locations and provide helpful | 20 |
| written information regarding the potential for certain types | 21 |
| of pesticides to cause harm to their specific crops if drift | 22 |
| occurs; and
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| WHEREAS, Information regarding this system and its mapping | 2 |
| capabilities will be integrated into the University of Illinois | 3 |
| Extension Service Pesticide Safety Education Program; its | 4 |
| capabilities will, thus, be demonstrated to all licensed | 5 |
| pesticide applicators; and its use will be encouraged so that | 6 |
| these potentially sensitive locations can be integrated into | 7 |
| the software systems used by ground and aerial applicators in | 8 |
| order to highlight property boundaries around sensitive crops | 9 |
| and avoid the potential for drift; and
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| WHEREAS, The agrichemical industry, the specialty and | 11 |
| organic crop industry, bee apiary owners, the Illinois | 12 |
| Department of Agriculture, and the University of Illinois | 13 |
| Extension support the implementation, application, and use of | 14 |
| this system; therefore, be it | 15 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 16 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | 17 |
| CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Illinois Department of | 18 |
| Agriculture to implement this internet-based geographic | 19 |
| information system in order to help identify sensitive crops, | 20 |
| foster meaningful communication between specialty growers and | 21 |
| pesticide applicators, lessen the likelihood of pesticide | 22 |
| drift in the agricultural community, and protect the interests | 23 |
| of all parties involved in production agriculture; and be it | 24 |
| further
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| RESOLVED, That the Director of Agriculture shall provide a | 2 |
| report regarding the implementation of this internet-based | 3 |
| geographic information system to the Secretary of the Senate | 4 |
| and the Clerk of the House of Representatives by December 31, | 5 |
| 2010; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 7 |
| delivered to the Director of Agriculture.
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