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.

collage
By Tara Desmond December 11, 2025
Interview with former NCGA President Kenny Hartman, Jr., reflecting on decades of service to Illinois corn farmers, major policy accomplishments, and why young farmers should get involved to shape the future of agriculture.
IL Corn office
By U.S. Grains & Bioproducts Council & IL Corn December 11, 2025
Illinois corn was on full display as a delegation of Japanese journalists toured the U.S. biofuels value chain to better understand how American corn and corn ethanol contribute to a lower-carbon energy future.
Ilinois group n
By Tara Desmond December 11, 2025
Illinois agriculture is once again stepping up to fight hunger.
Rows of green crops in a field at sunset, with the sun's rays shining through the clouds.
By Lyndi Allen December 10, 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Trump Administration announced a one-time package of $12 billion in “bridge payments” to support American farmers.
CEO Justin Brown
By Tara Desmond December 10, 2025
Lakril CEO Justin Brown explains how corn-based sugars become low-carbon acrylic acid, creating new markets for farmers as the company expands in Illinois.
Deer by a stream with
December 5, 2025
Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.The award honors farmers who go above and beyond in their management of their working land.
Show More