Illinois Ag Legislative Day The 42
nd Annual Illinois Agricultural Legislative Day (IALD) is set for March 28, 2012 during National Agriculture Month. This event provides an opportunity for representatives from farm and agricultural commodity organizations and other diverse agriculture interest groups to meet with their respective state senators and representatives as well as the other sponsoring organizations. In addition to creating an Ag Day at the Capitol, participants have an opportunity to become better acquainted and to establish networking relationships to impact issues that affect Illinois agriculture.
Working Breakfast
A working breakfast is served for the sponsoring organizations in the Howlett Building - Hall of Flags located on the State Capitol Complex at the corner of Edwards Street and Second Street in Springfield, IL. The legislators, their secretaries and staff are invited to this event. This venue provides an excellent opportunity to mingle with the organizations and the legislators that might attend. A few speakers address the group during this time.
Illinois Farm Bureau Round Table Briefing
The Illinois Farm Bureau hosts a briefing on the Round Table Discussions that were held earlier in the year. This briefing covers the various issues that were determined to be priorities for the current legislative session.
Legislative Contacts
Each organization attending the event is responsible for contacting a set(s) of legislators (one senator and two corresponding representatives) to communicate the Illinois Agriculture's legislative priorities for the year. The Illinois FFA President and the Illinois County Fair Queen visit their local legislators and are introduced on the House and Senate floor by their local legislators.
Legislative Lunch
The sponsoring organizations present the legislators and their secretaries a uniquely packaged lunch. Illinois FFA members deliver the lunches to the legislators and their secretaries.
Commodity Baskets
Baskets are assembled and delivered by Illinois FFA members to the legislators. Each organization donates an item to the baskets that represents their interests.
What makes an event of this nature truly successful is the agricultural community's participation and personal contact with the elected officials in his/her "workplace." If you know of any groups that would be interested in participating in this event, please have them contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Marketing and Promotions. We hope to have every agricultural organization in Illinois join in sponsoring and participating in this event.
For more information, contact Karen Fraase at (217)785-7799 or karen.fraase@illinois.gov.
Executive Committee Members
Dennis Campion
IALD Chair
University of Illinois |
Jodi Brooks
IALD Vice Chair
Grain and Feed Assoc. of IL |
Jerry Hicks
IALD Treasurer
IL Society of Professional
Farm Manager & Rural Appraisers
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Ruth Hambleton
Assistant Treasurer
Illinois Agri Women |
Karen Fraase
IALD Coordinator
IL Dept. of Agriculture |
Kim Smith
IALD Coordinator
IL Dept. of Agriculture |
