ALTON, Illinois – Senator Bill Haine (D-Alton) was honored by the Madison County Farm Bureau last week with the "Friend of Agriculture" award for his work on behalf of local family farms.
"We take pride in our farms in Downstate Illinois as they represent not only a long, historic tradition of agrarian excellence here in the Midwest, but also an important driver of our local economy," Haine said. "I graciously accept this honor and will continue to support our farmers in
the state Senate."
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Haine has supported measures extending tax incentives to farmers who invest in new equipment, making sure that farms can pass from generation to generation without overburdensome estate taxes, and creating sales tax exemptions and expanded research opportunities for biodiesel and ethanol production of crops grown on Illinois farms.
"These incentives provide some stability for our farmers, particularly during the difficult crop seasons of the last couple of years," Haine stated. "The National Corn to Ethanol Research Center at SIUE, a
first-of-its-kind biofuels research facility, establishes this region as a leader in the development of the energy of the future and presents prospective employers with an attractive location to do business."
The Madison County Farm Bureau provides a voice for farmers to policy makers in Madison County, Springfield, and Washington, DC. It was established in 1918 and is affiliated with the Illinois Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
