CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – As Illinois faces cuts to federal agriculture reimbursements, local farmers are urging the state to create new models for supporting agriculture and ensuring food access. Illinois lawmakers are stepping up, pushing two key bills through the legislative process that could provide a lifeline for small farmers struggling to stay afloat amid federal shifts.

One of these bills, HB 3701, seeks to reallocate state funds to purchase farm food locally, supporting small-scale operations like Ryder’s. The second bill, HB 2196, would allow poultry farmers to sell more of their products directly to consumers by loosening regulations on self-processed poultry.

Despite some reluctance from both the Illinois General Assembly and Governor JB Pritzker’s office to allocate additional funds, both bills have shown promise. HB 3701, also known as the Good Food Purchasing Law (GFPL), would create a task force to help public institutions like universities purchase locally grown food, helping small farmers compete with larger agricultural companies.

Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, who proposed the bill, emphasized the importance of local food systems, particularly in underserved communities. “Healthy access to food has never been guaranteed,” Harper said, speaking to the challenges in food deserts across Illinois. Currently, about 3 million Illinoisans live in areas with limited access to healthy food, a situation the GFPL aims to address.

Although the original version of the bill, which would have required some state agencies to immediately start buying locally sourced food, faced opposition from certain state departments, an amended version of the bill recently passed the House Agriculture Committee. However, with time running out in the legislative session, Harper introduced HJR 0027, a nonbinding resolution calling for the creation of the Good Food Purchasing Task Force.

The other bill under consideration, HB 2196, would amend the Meat and Poultry Inspection Act to help poultry farmers sell directly to consumers, reducing reliance on large poultry producers and making locally grown meat more accessible. This bill would also increase the annual cap for on-farm poultry processing, addressing the shortage of processing facilities in Illinois.

Both bills, which have gained bipartisan support, are now under review by the Pritzker administration, which has yet to take a definitive stance.