State Representative Lisa Hernandez created a Youth Initiative Civic Engagement Team of young community activists to help them prepare for statewide leadership and understand the myriad of issues that the state faces. On Wednesday June 26, Hernandez led the Youth Initiative Civic Engagement Team to examine challenges facing Farming and the production and distribution of healthy foods to urban areas.

Hernandez introduced the Youth Initiative Civic Engagement Team members to colleague State Rep. Brad Holbrook of downstate Charleston during a meeting with officials of the Clark County Farm Bureau in Martinsville, Illinois. The Bureau is located in Halbrook’s downstate district, a nearly five hour drive from Chicago. “When you are growing up in Chicago, farming may not seem like an important issue but it directly impacts both your health and your pocketbook,” Hernandez said.

When visiting the Clark County Farm Bureau personally herself last year, Rep. Hernandez decided it was important that young people understand the issues beyond their own neighborhoods. “As part of engaging youth in the community, I want these young leaders to understand the role of a legislator and a leader and what legislators and governments can and should do to assist farmers,” Hernandez said.

“The advances in farming have come a very long way as the group got to experience with the machinery and sciences in agriculture, the group found out that weather is an uncontrollable variable in farming,” Hernandez said. The goal of the program is to expose team members to different careers in technology, engineering, sciences and others career opportunities.