5 Things you Should Know about the Governmental Affairs Team
1. The mission of the Governmental Affairs Committee is to surface and develop policy and to provide reliable, accurate, and common-sense information to elected officials and their staffs in order to build a dialogue between the organization and policymakers. The Governmental Affairs Committee serves as a voice for all Cook County Farm Bureau® members.
2. A cornerstone of the Governmental Affairs Team is grassroots policy generation. Through the ‘Micro’ Viewpoint Survey, team members solicit member insights and use the responses to generate local, state, and national Farm Bureau policy.
3. Cook County Farm Bureau’s nationally recognized Staff Exchange program has reached over 125 individuals since 2012. Designed to bridge the gap between modern agriculture and urban legislators, the program connects legislators and their staff members with agribusinesses, food processors, and farmers throughout Cook County.
4. Legislatively, Farm Bureau, along with strategic partners, successfully advocated for the repeal of the Cook County Beverage Tax. Over the course of several months, Farm Bureau worked with partners to meet with legislators to discuss the ramifications of increasing local taxes. After nearly six months of conversations, the coalition successfully advocated for the repeal of the tax.
5. Team members participate in the FB ACT program. Through FB ACT members are able to take back their influence in Washington, Springfield, and locally. FB ACT is a tool to contact elected officials and ask them to vote in support of Illinois farmers. Interested? Text ‘FARM’ to 52886.