By TIM ALEXANDER

Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois state lawmakers shifted their attention from “pork” projects for at least for one lunch hour to indulge their appetites for literal pork products during Illinois Pork Day at the State Capitol in Springfield.

Members of the Illinois Pork Producers Assoc. (IPPA) met on the site May 22 to serve free pork tenderloin sliders outside, along with complimentary BLT sandwich box lunches inside the building, to legislators, staff, and others who were present and hungry.

“2019 Illinois Pork Day was another successful event at the State Capitol. Outside of the grounds, on Monroe Street, IPPA staff served over 400 pork tenderloin sliders to staff, downtown Springfield business employees, and those walking by. Inside the Capitol, IPPA board members passed out BLT sandwiches to members of the House and Senate during session,” said IPPA Communications Director Jenny Jackson.

“This allows our pig farmers an opportunity to thank their legislators for their hard work, and remind them that the pork industry is strong in our state’s economy. Everyone can bond over a mutual love of bacon.”

Also known as BLT Day, the annual “bacon caucus” at the Capitol spotlights the impact the state’s pork producers have on the Illinois economy. The industry contributes more than $1.8 billion and 10,500 jobs in Illinois, though the number of pig farmers in the state continues to decrease.

In Illinois, the average swine finishing barn holds 2,400 pigs, which provides consumers with more than 160,000, 5- to 7-ounce pork chops and in excess of 2.5 million slices of bacon. In a single year the pigs consume approximately 20,000 bushels of Illinois corn and 3,000 bushels of soybeans, according to the IPPA.

The event also allowed its members to interact with consumers passing by the Capitol or tending to business on the grounds, on the subject of the safe handling and cooking for pork. With grilling season gearing up, the producers circulated information from a new study that shows pork is at its tastiest when cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, contradicting earlier recommendations that the meat be cooked until well-done.

The day’s festivities began when State Rep. Mike Marron (R-Danville) stood and declared May 22 to be Illinois Pork Day, Jackson said.

The celebration was timely for Illinois pork producers who are banding together to fight against legislation (Senate Bill 1481) sponsored by State Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria), which would allow county boards the binding authority to refuse construction permits for confined animal feeding operations in their counties, wresting control of such decisions from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Koehler’s bill was re-referred to the Senate Assignments Committee on March 28, where it currently remains. It is unclear whether he partook in a free BLT on Illinois Pork Day, according to Jackson.