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Illinois House Ag Committee focused on awareness and diversity

Increasing awareness, diversity and equity in agriculture are goals for the Illinois House Agriculture and Conservation Committee in 2020.

Representative Sonya Harper of Chicago chairs the committee. She tells Brownfield she has had productive conversations with Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and the Illinois Environmental Council.

“We are looking forward to increasing the overall knowledge of agriculture and promoting it more within the state especially in urban areas, but definitely putting a positive highlight on Illinois in hopes that we can make some more producers here.”

With less than a year of chairman experience under her belt, Harper says she continues to learn more about rural agriculture while keeping urban agriculture issues on the table too.

“How do we bridge the gap between rural and urban agriculture? But also, how do we provide more incentives and more resources for farmers all across the state?”

Harper says she hopes to build some legislation boosting agritourism and working to get families enjoying more outdoor activities.