State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ PDF text ]   [ Legislation ]   
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Introduced ][ House Amendment 001 ]


92_HJ0063eng

HJ0063 Engrossed                               LRB9216193AGcs

 1                      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 63

 2        WHEREAS, The bounty of  agriculture  from  the  State  of
 3    Illinois  is  a  primary  source  of  high-quality foods that
 4    nourish the people of the world, and the  global  consumption
 5    of  the  produce of Illinois' agriculture is expected to grow
 6    at least three percent annually for the next two decades; and

 7        WHEREAS, The markets for Illinois' agricultural  products
 8    are  increasingly  global  and complex, and Illinois farmers,
 9    marketers, suppliers, and food, feed, fiber, and medical  and
10    industrial  raw material processors have a need to take steps
11    to protect the viability  of  their  operations  against  the
12    vagaries  of  the  global  agricultural  market  while taking
13    advantage of value-added opportunities; and

14        WHEREAS, In recent years, Illinois'  farmers,  marketers,
15    suppliers,  and food, feed, fiber, and medical and industrial
16    raw material processors have responded to  the  uncertainties
17    and complexities of global markets by entering into contracts
18    to   stabilize   production,   delivery,   and   pricing   of
19    agricultural products; and

20        WHEREAS,  Illinois' agricultural economy has a need for a
21    consistent framework for these contracts,  so  as  to  ensure
22    that   efforts   to   reduce   the  uncertainties  of  global
23    agricultural markets that face Illinois' farmers,  marketers,
24    suppliers,  and food, feed, fiber, and medical and industrial
25    raw material processors is done within a  framework  that  is
26    fair  to  farmers  and  processors;  that  improves Illinois'
27    competitive advantage in retaining and attracting agriculture
28    and agriculture-related businesses; and  that  increases  the
29    competitive  advantage  of Illinois' agricultural products in
30    the growing global markets; and

31        WHEREAS, Illinois' lawmakers are challenged to respond to
32    the needs of Illinois' agricultural economy in a manner  that
 
HJ0063 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9216193AGcs
 1    is  fair  to  every segment of Illinois' agricultural economy
 2    and that provides the greatest opportunity for  the  economic
 3    viability   and   growth   of  all  components  of  Illinois'
 4    agricultural economy; therefore, be it

 5        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
 6    NINETY-SECOND  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
 7    SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Attorney General  and  the
 8    Director  of  Agriculture  are  urged  to  convene a panel of
 9    interested parties; and be it further

10        RESOLVED, That the panel should  conduct  an  independent
11    review  of  the  guidelines,  rules,  and laws that currently
12    apply  to  the  execution  and  performance  of  agricultural
13    contracts in Illinois, with the purpose of  determining  what
14    protections  are  currently available under State and federal
15    law and of  determining  the  need  for  further  guidelines,
16    rules,  or  laws  to  assure  clarity  and basic fairness for
17    farmers, marketers, suppliers, and  food,  feed,  fiber,  and
18    medical  and industrial raw material processors, that improve
19    Illinois' competitive advantage in retaining  and  attracting
20    agriculture  and  agriculture-related  businesses,  and  that
21    increase  the competitive advantage of Illinois' agricultural
22    products in the growing global markets; and be it further

23        RESOLVED, That the panel should  conduct  an  independent
24    review    of    the   types   of   agricultural   production,
25    production-related,    marketing,    and    marketing-related
26    contracts currently being used in the State of  Illinois,  to
27    determine  the  impact  of  the  different types of available
28    contracts  on  Illinois'  agricultural  economy;  and  be  it
29    further

30        RESOLVED, That the panel should recommend specific  types
31    of  education  to  be  offered  for  all sectors of Illinois'
32    agricultural economy to  promote  the  understanding  of  the
 
HJ0063 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9216193AGcs
 1    benefits  and  responsibilities of entering into agricultural
 2    marketing,      marketing-related,      production,       and
 3    production-related contracts; and be it further

 4        RESOLVED,  That  the  panel should monitor the use of the
 5    recommended  education   programs   concerning   agricultural
 6    production and marketing contracts; and be it further

 7        RESOLVED,  That  the  panel  should report to the General
 8    Assembly, no later than January 8, 2003, on its findings; and
 9    be it further

10        RESOLVED, That  the  panel  convened  should  be  jointly
11    chaired  by the Attorney General, or his or her designee, and
12    the Director of Agriculture, or  his  or  her  designee,  and
13    should  be  composed  of  representatives  from the following
14    groups: the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture  Committee  or
15    his  or  her  designee;  the Minority Spokesman of the Senate
16    Agriculture Committee or his or her designee; the Chairman of
17    the House Agriculture Committee or his or her  designee;  the
18    Minority  Spokesman of the House Agriculture Committee or his
19    or her designee;  one  individual  farmer  nominated  by  the
20    Director  of  Agriculture; one individual farmer nominated by
21    the Attorney General; one individual from a food processor or
22    a food distributor nominated by the Director of  Agriculture;
23    one representative nominated by the Illinois Farm Bureau; one
24    representative  nominated by the Illinois Farmers' Union; one
25    representative  nominated  by  the  Illinois  Corn   Growers'
26    Association;  one  representative  nominated  by the Illinois
27    Soybean Association;  one  representative  nominated  by  the
28    Illinois  Specialty  Growers' Association; one representative
29    nominated   by   the   Illinois   Fertilizer   and   Chemical
30    Association; one representative nominated by  the  Grain  and
31    Feed Association of Illinois; one representative nominated by
32    the  Illinois  Seed  Trade  Association;  one  representative
33    nominated  by  the  Midwest  Food Processors Association; one
 
HJ0063 Engrossed            -4-                LRB9216193AGcs
 1    representative  nominated  by  the  Illinois  Pork  Producers
 2    Association; one representative  nominated  by  the  Illinois
 3    Beef   Association;   one  representative  nominated  by  the
 4    Illinois Poultry Association; one representative nominated by
 5    the Illinois Milk Producers Association;  one  representative
 6    nominated   by  the  Renewable  Fuels  Association;  and  one
 7    representative nominated by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce;
 8    and be it further

 9        RESOLVED, That the panel should meet as directed  by  the
10    Attorney   General  and  the  Director  of  Agriculture,  and
11    representatives shall serve without compensation; and  be  it
12    further

13        RESOLVED,  That  due to the technical legal nature of the
14    contractual law issues that will be reviewed  by  the  panel,
15    the  representatives  may  be  assisted  and advised by legal
16    counsel of their choosing, at their own expense; the presence
17    of a representative's legal counsel  does  not  entitle  that
18    representative  to  an  additional vote in making the panel's
19    recommendations; and be it further

20        RESOLVED, That suitable  copies  of  this  resolution  be
21    delivered  to  the  Attorney  General  and  the  Director  of
22    Agriculture.

[ Top ]