While attending the IAA Annual Meeting, a contingent of Champaign County Farm Bureau members were able to visit with CCFB’s adopted legislator, Greg Harris – IL State Rep.  Greg Harris hails over District 13, located in Chicago, one of the most diverse districts in the state. Greg has visited Champaign a number of times and has been awarded the CCFB Friend of Agriculture Award.  He has a genuine interest in agriculture and Champaign County.  We were able to catch up with some CCFB members who visited with Rep. Harris including Mark Pflugmacher, Nancy Strunk, Lin Warfel, and Don Wood. 

CCFB: What did you learn during your visit with Greg Harris?

Nancy Strunk – “Harris is a member of JCAR, Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.  JCAR is a group of 12, bi-partisan legislators who meet and review up to 4000 pieces of rules and regulations of legislation per month.  If legislative rules and regulations impose hardships on the agriculture world we could get a hold of Harris and let him know our concerns.  It is very important to have a contact on the JCAR committee.”

Don Wood – “Greg Harris was very interested in agriculture. We talked about his views and the views of his district. Greg was very easy to talk to and eager to learn about our area of farming.
He remembered being here at our farm when Brad Uken brought him out for a visit. He was
interested in the beef cattle operation.”

CCFB - Greg has one of the most diverse districts in the state and it is so different from downstate Illinois. What important agricultural messages did you pass along to Greg when you met with him?

Lin Warfel – “Rep Harris does have some farm background due to his growing up on a farm in Colorado. So, his knowledge about what groups like HSUS and PETA from the farmer point of view is very important. His district has many members of those organizations, and no farmers.... He now understands horse slaughter problems, but still doesn't think he can support appropriate legislation due to the lack of knowledge of his constituents.”

CCFB - Greg Harris has visited Champaign County and been awarded the CCFB Friend of Agriculture Award. He is familiar with agriculture issues. If you had another 15 minutes of his time what agriculture issue would you talk to him about?

Lin Warfel – “A more definitive discussion about what the state department of Agriculture does, and how important the monitoring functions are.”

CCFB - Is there a particular issue Greg Harris is facing in his district that interests you?

Mark Pflugmacher - “Some of the issues Rep. Harris faces in his district are the same as ours including budget issues, making sure things are getting paid up on time, and the people in his district get funded.  The biggest topic we face and everyone in Illinois faces is the budget.”

Lin Warfel – “Chicago faces more severe budget issues with pensions and healthcare than the state. A typical solution is for Chicago legislators to pass on their problems to the state, as in mass transit, k-12 education, community college budgets (9 in Chicago) and others. We need to be alert to that happening!”

Don Wood – “We talked about FFA in his area, how some of the kids rode 1 to 1.5 hours to
get to the agricultural school. He is impressed with the school and with the quality of students that graduated from there. We talked about how little some of his friends and neighbors really know about agriculture, but they are willing to learn more about farming.”

CCFB - Is there anything else you would like to add about your visit?

Mark Pflugmacher – “Rep. Harris understands agriculture issues and has an open door policy of listening to us.  He is a good person to have on our side.”

Nancy Strunk – “Rep. Harris seeks out information and is a great contact to have. During the two hour visit we talked about aspects of the legislative process, the state of the state and we were able to make in roads both ways.” 

Lin Warfel – “I think our relationship with Rep. Harris is very beneficial to Champaign County, Illinois agriculture, and to the people of his district. Some direct exchanges with perhaps grade schools in his district would be beneficial to both.”

Don Wood – “Champaign County Farm Bureau should plan a bus trip from Rep. Harris’ district to our area to teach Harris’ constituents about farming and our pluses and minuses.”