Bill Text: IL SB1874 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act. Establishes the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program within the Department of Human Services to help expand the availability of nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for Illinois' emergency food system. Provides that the program shall (1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to Illinois' emergency food system, and (2) provide grants to improve capacity of the emergency food system to allow for the proper transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural products to underserved areas. Provides that the program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Provides that foods shall be surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be safe for consumption. Provides that the program is subject to appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available funds to acquisition and distribution of food. Requires the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to engage a not-for-profit entity from Illinois' emergency food system to administer the program. Requires the administering entity to have statewide reach and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the Department. Contains provisions concerning the duties of the administering entity. Creates the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council to provide support to the program through facilitating relationship-building and partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and the emergency food system and other matters. Provides that the program may distribute food to those food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store, and distribute foods through the emergency food system and with the capacity to serve significant geographic areas within Illinois. Provides that the program shall distribute capacity-building grants for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments necessary to support the objectives of the program. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 22-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-31 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB1874 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB1874-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1874 Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Linda Holmes SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act. Establishes the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program within the Department of Human Services to help expand the availability of nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for Illinois's emergency food system. Provides that the program shall (1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to Illinois's emergency food system, and (2) provide grants to improve capacity of the emergency food system to allow for the proper transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural products to underserved areas. Provides that the program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Provides that foods shall be surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be safe for consumption. Provides that the program is subject to appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available funds to acquisition and distribution of food. Requires the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to engage a not-for-profit entity from Illinois's emergency food system to administer the program. Requires the administering entity to have statewide reach and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the Department. Contains provisions concerning the duties of the administering entity. Creates the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council to provide support to the program through facilitating relationship-building and partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and the emergency food system and other matters. Provides that the program may distribute food to those food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store, and distribute foods through the emergency food system and with the capacity to serve significant geographic areas within Illinois. Provides that the program shall distribute capacity-building grants for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments necessary to support the objectives of the program. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules. Effective immediately.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning hunger relief.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act.
Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Agricultural entity" means a grower, producer, or
processor of farm or dairy products, meat, poultry, fruits and
agricultural products that are grown, raised, harvested, or
processed in Illinois.
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
"Food bank" means a public or charitable institution that
maintains an established operation involving the provision of
food or edible commodities to food pantries, soup kitchens,
hunger relief centers, or other feeding programs that, as an
integral part of their normal activities, provide meals or
food to needy persons.
"Program" means the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program.
"Program participant" means a food bank that receives food
under the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program to distribute to
food pantries, soup kitchens, hunger relief centers, or other
feeding programs that provide meals or food to needy persons.
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.

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Section 10. Establishment of the Illinois Farm to Food
Bank Program.
(a) A program to help expand the availability of
nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for
Illinois's emergency food system, known as Illinois Farm to
Food Bank Program, is hereby established within the Department
of Human Services. The program shall:
(1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from
Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to
Illinois's emergency food system, and
(2) provide grants to improve capacity of the
emergency food system to allow for the proper
transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural
products to underserved areas.
(b) The program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and
poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Foods shall be
surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be
safe for consumption.
(c) The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program is subject to
appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available
funds to acquisition and distribution of food.
Section 15. Administering entity.
(a) The Secretary shall engage a not-for-profit entity
from Illinois's emergency food system to administer the

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program. The administering entity shall have statewide reach
and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute
food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the
same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food
Assistance Program administered by the Department.
(b) The duties of the administering entity shall include,
but are not limited to:
(1) developing an annual plan outlining anticipated
needs, outreach efforts, potential challenges, and any
changes that may affect the program from the prior year;
(2) issuing an annual report that summarizes the
activity from the prior year, including meeting the
capacity-building and equity goals of the program;
(3) identifying program participants and their food
needs;
(4) building relationships with Illinois agricultural
entities that address those needs, including socially
disadvantaged farmers;
(5) coordinating the acquisition and distribution of
agricultural commodities to food banks; and
(6) distributing capacity-building grants.
Section 20. Advisory Council.
(a) The Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council is created,
consisting of the following members:
(1) The Secretary of Human Services or the Secretary's

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designee, who shall serve as chair.
(2) The Director of Agriculture or the Director's
designee.
(3) Three representatives from food banks, including
at least 2 representatives from food banks that
participate in the Emergency Food Assistance Program
administered by the Department of Human Services, selected
by the Department.
(4) Three representatives from the agricultural
industry, selected by the Department.
(5) A representative from an academic institution with
expertise in agricultural systems, selected by the
Department.
(b) The Advisory Council shall provide support to the
program through the following activities:
(1) facilitating relationship-building and
partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and
the emergency food system;
(2) approving of a proposed annual budget by the
administering entity;
(3) reviewing and providing feedback on the
administering entity's annual plans and annual reports;
(4) promoting the program; and
(5) providing feedback or recommendations as needed to
the administering entity.

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Section 25. Participation requirements.
(a) The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program may distribute
food to food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store,
and distribute foods through the emergency food system in
compliance with federal, State, or local health and food
safety requirements and with the capacity to serve significant
geographic areas within Illinois. Foods may be sourced
directly from an agricultural entity or via Illinois-based
aggregators as long as the foods meet program requirements.
(b) Program participants shall match Farm to Food Bank
resources with non-state funds. The match can be met through
cash or in-kind contributions.
(c) All food distributed under the program must be
distributed in Illinois, regardless of the service area of the
program participant.
Section 30. Capacity-building grants. The Illinois Farm
to Food Bank Program shall distribute capacity-building grants
for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments
necessary to support the objectives of the program and allow
for the proper pickup, storage, or processing of agricultural
products that expand the ability of Illinois's emergency food
system to access these products and better reach underserved
areas and underserved populations.
Section 35. Rulemaking. The Department shall adopt rules

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to implement the program. These rules shall include, but are
not limited to:
(1) eligible costs related to acquisition and
distribution of food, including, but not limited to,
picking, packing, processing, and transportation;
(2) health and safety requirements for program
participants, farmers, and transportation;
(3) food quality standards;
(4) program requirements for the capacity-building
grant program, including eligibility, allowable expenses,
and reporting;
(5) contracting requirements and purchasing options;
(6) goals, preferences, and incentives to advance
equity, especially racial equity, in the farm industry;
(7) data collection, evaluation, and annual plan and
reporting requirements; and
(8) any other rules necessary to implement the
program.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.