House Sponsors: POE-SMITH,MICHAEL-KLINGLER-MYERS,RICHARD-LAWFER, REITZ, HARTKE, O'BRIEN, FOWLER, DANIELS, BLACK, JONES,JOHN, WAIT, WINKEL, WINTERS, STEPHENS, MOFFITT, BOST, CURRY,JULIE, MITCHELL,BILL, TURNER,JOHN, O'CONNOR, BERNS AND RIGHTER. Senate Sponsors: NOLAND-WALSH,L Short description: AGFIRST INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOP Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Creates the Illinois AgFirst Infrastructure Development Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Crises Safety Net Response Program to provide job training and employment services for farmers and farm workers. Creates a value-added virtual equity loan and grant program to promote value-added processing of Illinois farm products. Creates the Enhanced Value-Added Agriculture Production Guarantee Program to provide State Guarantees for loans to finance or refinance debts for specialized agri-businesses that engage in the process of adding value to agricultural products. Requires the Department to adopt an agriculture management curriculum. Creates the Illinois Agricultural Small Business Authority within the Department to provide technical and managerial assistance to new-generation co-ops and small agri-businesses. Creates the Agri-business Outreach Program within the Department to provide assistance to the public, the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, and State and local government agencies. Requires the Department to develop a voluntary certification process that guarantees buyers that certified products warrant a premium price. Requires the Department to identify consumer preferences; identify new markets; identify preserved products; underwrite certain demonstrations; and provide market analyses and trend projections to interested persons. Repealed on July 1, 2005. Effective July 1, 2001. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Allows (instead of requires) the Department of Agriculture to establish a Crisis Safety Net Response Program to provide job training and employment services for farmers and farm workers. Provides that grants under the value-added virtual equity program may not exceed 10% (instead of 50%) of the project's total cost. Provides that State Guarantees under the Enhanced Value-Added Agriculture Production Guarantee Program may not exceed $5,000,000 (instead of $1,000,000) per applicant. Deletes provisions concerning the certification process for Illinois products that have traits and qualities that warrant a premium price. Makes technical corrections. Provides that the aggregate amount of State guarantees to any applicant may not exceed $5,000,000 (instead of $1,000,000). HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 2. Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 120/1.02 from Ch. 102, par. 41.02 30 ILCS 105/5.545 new 20 ILCS 205/40.43 rep. Deletes everything. Creates the Illinois Agriculture Infrastructure Development Act of 2001. Creates the Infrastructure Development Advisory Board for Agriculture in the Department of Agriculture. Provides for the appointment of members to the Board. Sets the powers and duties of the Board. Requires the Director of Agriculture to annually report to the Governor, the State Treasurer, the Secretary of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives on the Department of Agriculture's activities during the previous calendar year. Creates an Agriculture Infrastructure Development Grant Program to promote the value-added processing of Illinois' agricultural products. Requires grant recipients to submit periodic reports to the Department of Agriculture. Contains other provisions. Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that the Infrastructure Development Advisory Board for Agriculture is subject to the provisions of the Open Meetings Act. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Agriculture Infrastructure Development Fund. Repeals a provision of the Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois concerning the Illinois Value-Added Agricultural Enhancement Program. Effective immediately. Last action on Bill: SESSION SINE DIE Last action date: JAN-07-2003 Location: House Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 2 SENATE - 0 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status