Carlinville, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Even in one of America’s top agriculture states, food insecurity exists. That was the subject of a roundtable discussion in Carlinville Friday. Michael Heyen, a Gillespie-based poultry processor, says such meetings are productive.

“This was a very pronounced opportunity to speak with these folks and to hear from these folks that are distributing it to the people that need it the most,” Heyen said afterward. “You get to meet everyone that’s in between – the policymakers, the grant writers – those who want to help, but you almost don t know they exist until you get here.”

In other words, Heyen says such a meeting connects you to resources you didn’t know you had.

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield) convened the discussion.

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