Bill Amendment: IL HB2557 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly

NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List

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Bill Title: FARMER EQUITY/INNOVATION ACT

Status: 2024-03-14 - Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Mattie Hunter [HB2557 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB2557-House_Amendment_001.html

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Rep. Sonya M. Harper

Filed: 3/17/2023

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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2557
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2557 by replacing
everything after the enacting clause with the following:
"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Farmer Equity and Innovation Act.
Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Limited resource farmer" means a farmer who has a total
household income at or below the national poverty level for a
family of 4, or less than 50% of the county median household
income in each of the previous 2 years.
"Socially disadvantaged farmer" means a farmer who has
been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudices because of their
identity as a member of a group without regard to their
individual qualities.
Section 10. Farmer Equity and Innovation Center.

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(a) Subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and
approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, the
Farmer Equity and Innovation Center is created at the
University of Illinois Extension.
(b) The Farmer Equity and Innovation Center shall:
(1) ensure the continued economic viability of
small-scale and moderate-scale diversified farms by
creating a coordinated, statewide program to support the
operators of those farms, prioritizing limited resource
farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers;
(2) establish a Farmer Equity and Innovation Program
administered by the Center;
(3) utilize the University of Illinois Small Farm
Advisors, and require the University to increase its Small
Farm Advisor positions to 6 in number;
(4) include applied research on specified subjects
concerning farming in Illinois, outreach regarding those
subjects, and informational services on assistance
provided by or through the Center or nonprofit
organizations designated by the Center;
(5) authorize the Program to include special training
for new and beginning farmers, with priority given to
socially disadvantaged farmers; and
(6) conduct a study to determine and issue an annual
report to the Governor and General Assembly containing a
demographic breakdown of farmers who participate in the

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Program.".