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• Illinois LEPC Coordinators

Climate Change Legislation (HR 2454)

Click below for information on the economic impact of the Waxman/Markey Climate Change Legislation (HR 2454)

Committee Rejects Off-Shore Drillinig

Today, in an attempt to lower the price at the pump and bring stability to the economy, Congressman John E. Peterson (R-PA), offered an amendment to the Interior Department spending bill that would increase domestic production of oil and natural gas offshore. The amendment, which would have lifted the Congressional Moratorium on offshore energy production between 50 and 200 miles, was defeated along a party line vote with six Republicans supporting American made energy and nine Democrats voting to keep American resources locked up.  Congressmen Peterson vowed to bring the amendment up again at the earliest opportunity, stating "All is not ...

• 154_1.pdf

Congresswoman Halvorson Visits LeRoy Fertilizer

On Wednesday, April 8, 2009 Congresswoman Deborah Halvorson was at LeRoy Fertilizer in LeRoy, IL visiting with industry constituents.  IFCA staff along with Ervin Caselton of Evergreen FS, John Eckley of Linco Equipment, Inc., Rich Fairfield of HG&N-Harbrand, Inc. along with Bob Spratt and Phil Lawless of LeRoy Fertilizer attending the meeting to voice concerns of issues impacting our industry.  IFCA would like to thank LeRoy Fertilizer for hosting this event as well as all the IFCA members who attending.  Congresswoman Halvorson is a member of the House Ag Committee and very receptive of issues impacting our ...

Contact Congress on Off Shore Drilling

President George W. Bush has removed the ban on offshore domestic energy development in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).  His father, President George H.W. Bush, had put this ban in place in 1990.  While this announcement ends the moratorium on drilling, it has no effect until Congress acts to remove a ban that prohibits the Dept of the Interior from using agency funds to lease areas in the OCS.  We urge you to submit letters to your Congressman asking for them to act to remove this moratorium.  The Fertilizer Institute has made it easy for you ...

Contact IFCA Regarding Cap & Trade Rally

On September 1, 2009 there will be a Cap & Trade Bill rally at the Crown Plaza Hotel located at 3000 South Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, Illinois beginnig at 11:30 a.m.  The rally will begin at 11:45 and lunch will be provided.  More details regarding the rally are available on the IFCA website.  Just click on the "Cap & Trade Rally" link.    Numerous groups are involved in this effort including the IFCA, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Manufacturers Association, GROWMARK, Illinois Coal Association, Retail Merchants, Midwest Truckers, National Federation of Independent Business and many more.  Attached is a flyer ...

Contact Senators To Support SB 1434

A bill to fully repeal the Commercial Distribution Fee (CDF) is scheduled to be heard this Thursday afternoon in the Senate Revenue Committee.  SB 1434 will fully repeal the truck registration surcharge that was put in place by the legislature and former Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2003.  The CDF was originally a thirty-six percent surcharge on the registration of any Illinois license plate over 8,000 pounds.  Legislatio in 2004 reduced the CDF to 14.35% but it was never fully repealed.  SB 1434 will repeal the entire CDF amount saving truckers as much as $400 per truck per year.  The bill is scheduled ...

GOVERNOR'S BUDGET ADDRESS LEAVES MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

The Governor's recent budget address was probably the shortest one in history summing up the future of our state finances in less than thirty minutes.  In this short amount of time, Governor Blagojevich proposed a payroll tax, more fund sweeps, possible fee increases a three percent cut in agency budgets and a tax cut.  Not to mention the governor proposed to hand out $300 per child in households whose incomes are under $75,000 per year.  This alone would cost the state of Illinois roughly $300 to $400 million, by using money we don't yet have from tobacco company ...

HR 2868 to Expand Chemical Site Security Regulations

Please call US Senators Roland Burris and Richard Durbin before 9 a.m. tomorrow (July 28) and ask them to vote no on HR 2868.  This bill seeks to expand the Department of Homeland Security regulations to require facilities to adopt Inherently Safer Technology (IST) protocols. This expansion of the DHS regulations will have a negative impact on products sold in our industry including some pesticides and fertilizers like anhydrous ammonia or ammonium nitrate.  Agrichemical facilities would have to engage in indepth analysis of their facility to continue to sell these products, and as a result could no longer be allowed ...

IFCA Busy in DC Last Week

IFCA President Jean Payne testified last week before the Surface Transportation Board in Washington D.C.  on the railroad's petition to require the fertilizer industry to foot the bill for their liability insurance for carrying anhydrous ammonia.  The railroads have experienced three derailments in the past 10 years involving poison by inhalation materials (ammonia and chlorine).  In all three cases, the USDOT and the NTSB ruled that the cause of the accidents were error on the part of the railroad involving worker fatigue, improper track maintenance and switching errors.  The Fertilizer Institute, Ag Retailers Association and ...

IFCA Legislative Recap

Click on the file below to read an interesting review of IFCA's work during the 2014 Illinois legislative session.  For questions contact KJ Johnson, kj@ifca.com  

IFCA's Election Roundup

With most of the tv ads and commentary focusing on the Presidential and US Congress election results, let's take a deeper dive into what happened in Illinois on Election night… Progressive Income Tax / Fair Tax Goes Down After bombarding Illinois residents with tv ads and mailers, voters rejected constitutional amendment to replace the flat tax with a progressive income tax.  The vote was 55% to 45% against the progressive tax (2,753,526 votes against, 2,243,840 for). The amendment needed to receive 60% of the vote on the amendment, or 50% of the total votes cast in the election in order to pass.  If ...

Illinois General Assembly

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Illinois Legislature Winds Down

KJ Johnson has been actively representing IFCA at the state capitol this spring.  As the session winds down with possible adjournment this weekend, most of the discussion has been centered around the state budget and the debate over making the temporary income and corporate tax increase permanent.  At this point, it appears that a vote on the tax issue will be delayed until the fall Veto session.  The state budget includes $1 billion in spending for roads and bridges.     With regard to issues that directly impact IFCA members, IFCA had a successful year at the Captiol. &...

Illinois Senate and House Pass HB 2273

Yesterday afternoon the Illinois Senate passed HB 2273 on a 52-0 vote.  Earlier in the session, the Illinois House passed the same bill on a 109-0 vote.  HB 2273 clarifies the original Weights & Measures Act which has been interpreted at different IFCA member locations throughout the state.   IFCA expects this bill will better clarify the act which has been a top priority for IFCA in Springfield this session.   Major changes in the bill include: •             The word “new” is deleted so ...

Illinois Senate and House Passes HB 2273

Yesterday afternoon the Illinois Senate passed HB 2273 on a 52-0 vote.  Earlier in the session, the Illinois House passed the same bill on a 109-0 vote.  HB 2273 clarifies the original Weights & Measures Act which has been interpreted at different IFCA member locations throughout the state.   IFCA expects this bill will better clarify the act which has been a top priority for IFCA in Springfield this session.   Major changes in the bill include:  The word “new” is deleted so all scales are required to meet Handbook 44 performance requirements for the scale &...

Legislative Update

Please click here to view the latest legislation being tracked by IFCA that impacts the industry.

Legislative Update

IFCA has a new feature on the website for members who would like to keep track of bills of interest.  Click here to be directed to the web page showing which bills IFCA supports or opposes.

Money in Farm Bill for Nurse Tank Locks

The recently passed U.S. Farm Bill contains a section that provides up to $15 million in grants for dealers to purchase locks for ammonia nurse tanks.  The program will provide up to $60 per tank for the locks.  We don't know yet how the program will be administered, but stay tuned. 

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Pre-Notification, Atrazine Hearing

Please go to www.ifca.com to see the updated legislative report on bills were are managing on behalf of our members.  We have at this point in time resolved the potential for pesticide application pre-notification legislation by working with Senator Dave Koehler (D-Edwards) on a resolution.  The resolution (SJR 105) encourages the IL Dept of Ag to implement a web-based program that allows organic growers, vineyards, bee hives and certain sensitive crops to register their sites and GIS coordinates with the goal to enhance communicate with pesticide applicators to potentially mitigate spray drift concerns with ...

Rally For Jobs and Energy

Attached is flyer for the September 8, 2010 “Rally for Jobs and Energy”.  There are currently 31 partnering organizations and a great list of speakers headlined by Mike “Da Coach” Ditka.  We are working to build a large crowd for the event and expecting significant media coverage.  Please do all you can to encourage your members to attend.  Doors will open at 11am with the program beginning at noon.  Get there early if you want lunch, as they will cut off food service a few minutes before the program starts.  Information is ...

Send in Your Comments on WOTUS Rule

You've been reading and hearing a lot about the USEPA's proposed "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) proposed rulemaking.  USEPA and agriculture disagree quite dramatically on the implications that this proposed rule will have on agricultural production in the US.  Many in ag believe it will expand federal regulations to activities such as nutrient or crop protection applications near any bodies of water--it's how those bodies of waters are classified that is very unclear.  In reading the rule many believe ditches and waterways could be considered a "water of the US".   USEPA is ...