- Published: Thursday, November 04, 2021 01:43 PM
FAYETTE COUNTY – As part of its Adopt-a-Legislator® program, the Fayette County Farm Bureau welcomed State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) to multiple farms in downstate Illinois to learn about their operations and further develop relationships with farmers in the state.
“The time spent in Fayette County with my family during our tours of the fields and farms was enlightening,” Pacione-Zayas said. “Maintaining connections to the land and relationships with farmers across the state is important for bridging the gap between urban and rural communities in Illinois. In the months I’ve been a part of the Adopt-a-Legislator program, you recognize the significance of championing policy that benefits the agriculture industry and our environment so Illinois communities can be sustainable and thriving.”
The Illinois Farm Bureau’s Adopt-A-Legislator® Program, which the Fayette County Farm Bureau is a part of, was developed in 2001 with the purpose of building long-term personal relationships between urban state legislators and farmers from across the state.
This past summer, representatives from The Fayette County Farm Bureau visited the senator in the district she represents to hear about how local stakeholders are pursing urban agriculture, expanding farmers markets, and addressing property tax relief. The senator’s recent visit to Fayette County expanded on that meeting to further her understanding of agricultural and food supply issues in Illinois.