WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Darin LaHood (IL-18) and Cheri Bustos (IL-17) released the following statement after a meeting with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service Administrator Chavonda Jacobs-Young:

“We met with Administrator Jacobs-Young to discuss the importance of the Peoria Ag Lab to our farm economy and to families across the country,” said Representatives LaHood and Bustos. “The Ag Lab is a pillar of the Peoria community and we were pleased the White House heeded our continued calls to fully fund the facility in this year’s budget. Now, our focus must shift toward fully staffing the Ag Lab and filling the 17 open positions to support its groundbreaking research that benefits our farmers, consumers and the country. We’ll continue working together and pressing the Department of Agriculture to fully staff the Ag Lab so Peoria can continue to be at the forefront of agricultural research for generations to come.” 

Click here for photos of the meeting.