Illinois Corn Farmers Recognize Illinois Senator Joyce

November 21, 2023
Two men in suits are shaking hands while holding a trophy.

Illinois State Senator Patrick Joyce received the ethanol award from the IL Corn Growers Association (ICGA) at the group’s annual meeting on November 21, 2023, in Bloomington.

 

Senator Joyce sponsored a bill including ICGA’s top state priority: passage of an E15 tax incentive. The bill was signed into law on June 7, 2023.

 

The ethanol incentives established in SB 1963 (Public Act 103-0009) reduce the percentage of retail sales tax on E15 blends by 10 percent, reduce mid-range blends by 20 percent, and reauthorize the 100 percent reduction of sales tax for majority blended ethanol fuels (E-85). The tax incentives will sunset on December 31, 2028.

“This is just a win-win situation for our state,” said Sen. Joyce. “It helps farmers by increasing corn demand and supports our environment by incentivizing the usage of cleaner-burning fuels.”

 

Senator Joyce has a 25-year history of successfully operating his own small business and family farm. In addition to agriculture, he brings a focus on health care, the environment, and education to the Senate. His top goals include making the health care system easier to navigate and more supportive for individuals and families suffering from serious illness, ensuring that everyone has access to clean and affordable drinking water, and reducing class sizes throughout the state.

 

“Senator Joyce is one of the only members of the Illinois General Assembly with firsthand knowledge of the agriculture industry,” said ICGA President and Fairfield, IL farmer Matt Rush. “We are so grateful for his leadership on ag issues, and for his leadership specifically on this tax incentive that will support markets for Illinois family farmers for years to come.”

 

Sen. Joyce represents Illinois’s 40th Senate district including a majority of Kankakee County, some of Will County and some of Grundy County.

Evan playing in dirt
By Tara Desmond September 22, 2025
Two year old Evan on the farm.
Jason at his farm in Manito
By Tara Desmond September 19, 2025
Jason Proehl isn’t just a fifth-generation farmer—he’s also an attorney who helps families protect their farms for the next generation.
Corn stalks in focus, with a combine harvesting corn in a field on a sunny day.
By Lyndi Allen September 18, 2025
Illinois farmers are concerned about their farms and the need for changes in production costs. Policy action is needed to expand ethanol blends, improve market access, and address high input costs.
man on farm working on equipment
By Tara Desmond September 18, 2025
It Seemed Routine—Until It Wasn’t
Collin Watters at podium
By Tara Desmond September 18, 2025
IL Corn joined the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council and Illinois Economic Development Association on a Japan trade mission, strengthening global markets for Illinois corn and ethanol and fostering new opportunities for farmers.
Winners
September 18, 2025
An air filter made from corn? That's right -- this company and more are coming up with innovative solutions using corn.
Show More