Budzinski Convenes Agriculture Advisory Council Amid Rising Costs

EDWARDSVILLE, IL — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) convened her bipartisan Agriculture Advisory Council at the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 

The Congresswoman answered questions on needed improvements to the Farm Bill, upcoming USDA reorganization, protecting funding for agricultural research institutions, support for farmers facing tariff and export market issues and how Congress is working to address fertilizer costs. 

“I convened my Agriculture Advisory Council to hear directly from producers about the challenges they’re facing,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “We had a candid conversation about the realities on the ground, like rising fertilizer prices, the fight to protect conservation dollars, and the importance of investing in agricultural research. We also discussed what can be done to better support our farmers, such as passing year round E15 and a stronger Farm Bill. I remain committed to ensuring the work we do in Congress reflects the needs of our growers at home.”

The Agriculture Advisory Council is composed of stakeholders from across Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, including family farmers, faculty from the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Richland Community College, and Lincoln Land Community College, as well as representatives from leading commodity organizations such as the Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, and Illinois Pork Producers Association. The council also includes leadership from the Illinois Department of Agriculture and members of the Illinois General Assembly.

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