Politics & Government
Cross King With Farmers
The Will County Farm Bureau honored State Rep. Tom Cross once again.
Every year the Will County Farm Bureau rewards state legislators who vote in favor of agriculture 100 percent of the time. Shorewood's State Rep. Tom Cross earned has won this award yet again.
"We all benefit from having a vibrant agriculture community," Cross, R-Oswego, said.
The farm bureau's Local Governmental Affairs Chairman, Jerry Davidson, announced the winners Jan. 29. The bureau held its 97th Annual Meeting at the Will County Fair Grounds in Peotone.
Find out what's happening in Shorewoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"Every time we have had to meet (with Cross), he has been very receptive and his whole office and staff have been very receptive as well," said farm bureau Manager Mark Schneidewind.
Schneidewind said that Cross has helped farmers in the areas of reforms, trucking and water. For example, he said that during the widening of Interstate 55, Cross worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation so the project proceeded with the least amount of impact on the community, Schneidewind explained.
Find out what's happening in Shorewoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Agriculture represents jobs in Illinois, Cross said. His focus is to support the ag community so it can be vibrant. Agriculture is essential to Illinois' economy, he said.
"There is some correlation either indirectly or directly on food prices, on gas prices," he said. "All of that is connected with what we see in the grocery store."
Shorewood residents do not have to travel far to see farm land. There are acres of corn and soybeans within the village limits.
"As you leave Shorewood and head west, you can very quickly see farm area," he explained. "We sometimes forget in the suburbs, but the agriculture community is a very strong engine in our economy."
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.