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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, Agricultural productivity in the United States is 
3growing faster than domestic demand; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, United States farmers and agricultural firms rely 
5heavily on export markets to sustain adequate prices for 
6agricultural products, with as much as one in three bushels of 
7United States corn exported in some form; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, A large amount of the corn grown in Illinois is 
9destined for the export markets, making those markets a 
10critical factor in the economic success of Illinois corn 
11farmers; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, Illinois is the largest exporting state in the 
13Midwest and the fifth largest exporting state in the nation; 
14and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, The North American market is especially crucial to 
16corn exports, with Mexico taking over 534 million bushels of 
17United States corn, worth $2.5 billion, last marketing year; 
18and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Canada is the top export market for United States 
20ethanol, which is corn based; it is the fourth market for 
 
 
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1United States pork, which consumes 25 percent of United States 
2corn meal; and
  
 
3    WHEREAS, The exports of United States agricultural 
4products and Illinois corn is greatly aided by the North 
5American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, The Trump Administration is currently in 
7negotiations to redraft NAFTA and make changes to the 
8agreement; therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
10HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
11urge our Congressional delegation to work to ensure that any 
12modifications made to NAFTA do not endanger or harm the strong 
13export market that Illinois enjoys with our neighbors to the 
14North and South; and be it further
  
 
15    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
16presented to members of the Illinois Congressional delegation.