Kankakee Times

During President Joe Biden's recent trip to Illinois, state Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) spoke out about how farmers in the Prairie State have been impacted by the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

Joyce was able to speak directly to Biden about the issues those who work in agriculture locally are faced with when the president visited Kankakee on May 11.

"President Biden was in Kankakee yesterday to talk about the fertilizer shortages and food supply issues," Joyce said in a May 12 Facebook post. "When you have the unique opportunity to advocate for our local communities to the President of the United States, you take it."

Joyce also noted that the food shortages and input from farmers has gotten the "attention of our nation's top leader."

Biden's first stop in Illinois was a Kankakee farm owned by Jeff and Gina O'Connor, a recent report from the Chicago Tribune said. The president toured the 800-acre corn, wheat and soybean farm, where he mentioned that Americans are not only flighting inflation but also helping Ukrainians keep their democracy. 

While Biden was at the farm, he also announced that he would be doubling federal assistance for fertilizer production, bringing the total to $500 million, a recent FOX 32 Chicago report said. He also noted that his administration was working to find a way to provide farmers the opportunity to get extended crop insurance coverage.