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Illinois’ only farming state senator hailed with the Friend of Ag award
 


By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — When a who’s-who of agricultural interests representing tens of thousands of farmers across Illinois bestowed State Sen. John Sullivan (D-District 47) with its most prestigious, annual award of recognition late last month, the delineation was honestly earned.
Sullivan is not a typical city-raised politician who shows up in starched Levis and a seed cap to receive accolades at the local grain co-op with television cameras running. Rather, he is the sole Illinois state senator, out of 59, who resides on and operates a working farm. In addition, his political résumé of causes and accomplishments reflects his rural upbringing and dedication to promoting agricultural interests and advancement.
Sullivan’s record of representing the causes and issues facing rural Illinois was the primary reason he was presented with the 2014 Friend of Agriculture Award by representatives of the state’s beef, corn, milk, pork, soybean and wheat producers during the 2014 Illinois Commodity Conference Nov. 25 in Normal.
“To have all of the commodity groups come together and recognize some of my accomplishments and what I’ve tried to do for agriculture, that’s a great honor and a really nice award,” said Sullivan, who was elected to serve Illinois’ 47th – the largest geographic district in the state – in 2002.
He was also the chair of the Illinois Senate Ag Committee before being reelected in 2004, and again in 2008, to represent the sweeping district, which encompasses all of nine west-central Illinois counties and part of two others.
“As a farmer himself, Senator Sullivan has been a tremendous voice, leader and advocate for agriculture in the state of Illinois,” stated Kenny Hartman, president of the Illinois Corn Growers Assoc. (ICGA), when presenting the award to the senator. “He has worked diligently on many important issues to the farming community, and has proven himself very valuable to the agriculture industry.”
Sullivan has worked with fellow elected officials and the community of Beardstown to facilitate repairs to a 60-year old bridge over the Illinois River on U.S. Highway 67 that has been restricted to a 15-ton weight limit. He is also working with the advocacy group Transportation for Illinois Coalition to spotlight increased transportation spending.
He helped secure funding for a $35 million highway bypass project that would bring more commerce and interstate business into western Illinois and facilitate more exports of local products. In addition, the senator is also working on legislation to improve rural EMS care, engaging with ICGA and the Illinois Soybean Assoc. to further the use of renewable fuels produced in-state and monitoring a pair of major utility projects affecting farmers in the 47th.
“Ag and transportation issues are issues that impact my district in many ways, and are areas I’ve tried to focus on,” said Sullivan, who lives on his Rushville farm with his wife, Joan.
The couple enjoy visits from their daughter and three sons, all of whom have graduated from Illinois universities with degrees in agriculture. “My priorities here in Springfield have certainly been what I believe the priorities of my district are,” he added.
After he was born in Macomb and raised on a small grain and livestock farm nearby, Sullivan’s parents relocated near Nauvoo in Hancock County, to a 300-acre farm, and from there further up the Mississippi River to Hamilton, where the future legislator graduated from high school. After earning a degree in history from Quincy College, Sullivan took a job with what is now the USDA Farm Credit Service as an agricultural loan officer.
He was also a full partner in his family’s auction and real estate business for many years before becoming a senator. The combination of agricultural education, farm business and farm production experience makes him literally unique in his role as a state senator.
“I think that my experience has served me very well here in Springfield. Five years in ag lending gave me a good understanding of the challenges of working with balance sheets, cash flows and planning. And in 20 years as a partner in the family real estate and auction business specializing in farm real estate and equipment, dealing with both family farm operations and attorneys gave me yet another perspective,” Sullivan said.
“Most beneficial is that if there is an ag-related issue that comes up here in the Senate, there’s a pretty good chance I’m the one (other senators) are going to come to to ask questions about the legislation. I’ve developed that trust.”
Sullivan is widely respected in the General Assembly for his ability to reach across the aisle and negotiate important legislation with his Republican counterparts. For that distinction, he was awarded the 2011 Best Democratic State Senator honor by Capitol Fax. Sullivan earned the position of assistant majority leader of the state Senate, in part because of his communication acuity.
“Illinois agriculture is fortunate to have Senator Sullivan in the General Assembly with his continued leadership and dedication on issues related to agriculture and farm families,” Todd Dail, president of the Illinois Pork Producers Assoc., noted during the award ceremony.
In 1989, Joan and the senator purchased their small farm north of Rushville where they raised their four children, along with a few hundred acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and some calves. Though the children are grown, the couple continue to reside on the farm operated by the only Illinois state senator involved in production agriculture. The symbolism isn’t lost on the Sullivans.
“The number of farmers is getting less and less, and the size of farms is getting larger and larger,” Sullivan observed. “Generations are getting further and further removed from the farms, making education of ag issues extremely important.”
12/17/2014