With agriculture an important part of west-central Illinois, Congressman Darin LaHood said he wanted to establish a committee to represent the voice of that large segment of his district. The agriculture advisory committee was established at the end of 2015 by the LaHood as a way to stay connected with the agriculture community.
Committee co-chairman Steve Turner, president of the Cass/Morgan Farm Bureau, said the committee has met once since it was created, and more than 40 farmers attended to discuss policies that would affect their businesses.The committee consists of representatives of corn and soybean producers and livestock farmers from each county in the 18th Congressional District, which includes Morgan and most surrounding counties.“He reached out to the different community organizations and he put together this committee of people from every facets of the ag community,” Turner said.
LaHood said he has the eighth-largest district in terms of corn and soybean production, so it is important he knows how policies will impact the agriculture sector. One of the biggest issues being talked about is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is a trade agreement with several countries.
Turner said this will have a big affect on farmers, which is why several have made their opinions known to the committee.
“We need to make sure that we keep the markets open for products we sell,” Turner said. “We need a fair marketing level without major trade barriers.”
LaHood said that with Beardstown being a major connector to the Illinois River and on to the Mississippi River, it is important to make sure there are policies that will focus on the improvement of ports.
Turner joined the committee because he wanted to be able to help represent the agricultural committee.
“We’re making sure the ag committee is heard from and represented well,” Turner said. While LaHood said he will not act on just the word of the committee, he said its information will be weighted in his decision. “This doesn’t mean I’ll put on blinders and do whatever they say, but they’ll be that strong vocal advocate and can be extremely helpful,” he said.
Turner said he hopes he continues to ask the committee for its opinion on different topics, such as trade, transportation and environmental regulations.
“He has a core group of ag people that he can turn to and ask questions about ag policy that he’ll deal with in his position,” Turner said. “When he votes on certain bills he had that centralized voice and I hope he continues using this group.”
LaHood said his goal is for the committee to meet at least four times a year, although said he will call committee members as the need arise.
“We can talk about any issue and I can take it back and when we discuss bills, I will have the first hand knowledge,” LaHood said. “No pun intended, but they’re out there in the trenches, out in the field. They know how these things affect them.”
