Jim Oberweis, candidate for Congress in the 14th District, is issuing the following statement on the final vote tally and the discovery recount his campaign is seeking.
“The final vote count to be certified has me down 5,356 votes to Lauren Underwood. With more than more than 400,000 votes cast in the race, the difference between my vote total and her vote total is just over 1 percent or roughly 12 votes per precinct. Illinois election law has provisions to allow parties in a closely contested race to seek a discovery recount and I intend to pursue the legal avenues afforded to me as a candidate for office. In a race this close, we need to be certain the final vote count is correct. A discovery recount does not change a single vote, but it does allow us to see if the outcome might change with a full recount. The robust turnout for the Nov. 3rd Election in the 14th District is a clear indication of the tremendous interest in this race. We owe it to the 400,000 people who voted in this election to do all we can to ensure that the final outcome is the right outcome.”
If it was a fraction of a vote per precinct, that would be one thing. But 12 votes per precinct is a lot.
When it comes to the law, I don’t have any ability to predict how this investigation by the US Attorney into Speaker Madigan’s actions is going to conclude, and I would not even try.
I firmly believe that anyone accused of a crime, and those who face accusations of wrongdoing, are innocent until proven guilty.
But that’s not our standard for holding higher office. Instead, here’s what we all know the pay to play quid pro quo situation outlined in these indictments released last night our unspeakably wrong.
Anyone who concludes otherwise is insulting the public.
If Speaker Madigan wants to continue in a position of enormous public trust with such a serious ethical cloud hanging over his head. Then he has to at the very least, be willing to stand in front of the press and the people in the answer every last question to their satisfaction. Written statements and dodged investigatory hearings are not going to cut it.
If the speaker cannot commit to that level of transparency, then the time has come for him to resign as speaker.
We are at an incredibly difficult moment in our state. We are all overwhelmed with decisions of life and death, and economic distress. The people of Illinois do not deserve a political circus.
On top of that, I’ve maintained from the beginning that legislators have a right to make their own decisions about who leads them, and I continue to feel that way. These legislators alone hold the unique power to elect the Illinois speaker, and I trust that they will think long and hard about the duties that they owe to the people that we all work
Please pardon all transcription errors.
…Adding… Pritzker was asked if he was calling legislators asking them to vote against Madigan…
Look, the legislators themselves know what they need to consider. They’re the ones who ultimately are going to decide whether the speaker is going to continue. I speak with members of the legislature all the time. I have not spoken with members of legislature since last night.
And I’ll say it again. If Speaker Madigan wants to continue in his position of enormous public trust, then he has to answer questions for the public, for the press to their satisfaction until every last question is answered. And if the speaker can’t commit to that he ought to resign.
MEDIA ADVISORY: Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, House Republican Members of the Special Investigating Committee to Address U.S. Attorney’s Office Indictments Against Madigan’s Allies
WHAT: Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) and State Representatives Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), Deanne Mazzochi (R- Elmhurst), Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) will address the U.S Attorney’s announcement of indictments against key Madigan allies including Mike McClain, Anne Pramaggiore, John Hooker and Jay Doherty.
* The HGOPs want Madigan to quit and the Special Investigating Committee hearings restarted…
"This is far from over." Durkin says everyone knows Madigan was fully aware of the bribery scheme with Commonwealth Edison. He calls on @RepChrisWelch to continue the legislative investigation into Madigan. The committee has only met twice.
* From the committee’s chairman and Democratic members…
State Reps. Emanuel Chris Welch, Elizabeth Hernandez and Natalie Manley released the following statement Thursday:
“The federal prosecutor’s indictments against former ComEd associates elaborate on the company’s pattern of behavior as was previously detailed in the deferred prosecution agreement. They do not, however, give members of this committee carte blanche to substitute partisan grandstanding for deliberate consideration.
“Leader Durkin and his colleagues know as well as we do that this committee will soon be receiving evidentiary documents from ComEd – including documents requested by Republican members. Both Republican and Democratic counsel have been working with ComEd’s representatives to be certain that these documents would be provided to the members and the public before the next meeting was scheduled, specifically so there would be information to consider. So Republicans’ repeated insistence that this committee rush forward is nothing more than political theater, as is their public campaign to smear anyone insisting on an honest, transparent and sober process instead of a show trial. We believe it would be more prudent for a Special Investigating Committee to actually receive and review these documents rather than following the pronouncements of those who reached their conclusions long before the committee was created.”
The pace of workers filing for unemployment claims picked up last week and was a bit higher than Wall Street had been expecting.
Jobless claims totaled 742,000 for the week, the Labor Department reported Thursday, ahead of the 710,000 estimate from economists surveyed by Dow Jones.
That total also represented an acceleration from the previous week’s 709,000 and a continuation of the job market struggles since the coronavirus pandemic hit in early March.
The week-over-week increase was the first after four straight weeks of decline. Even with the increase for the most recent period, the four-week moving average, which smooths volatility in the numbers, decreased 13,750 to 742,00.
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates 46,526 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Nov. 9 in Illinois, according to the DOL’s weekly claims report released Thursday. […]
There were 67,158 new unemployment claims were filed across the state last week, the week of Nov. 1.
There were 53,138 new unemployment claims filed during the week of Oct. 19 in Illinois.
A total of 46,948 new unemployment claims were filed across the state, the week of Oct. 12.
Gov. Pritzker said last week that he thought a huge surge in fraudulent claims was behind the unemployment application spike here the previous couple weeks.
* IDES…
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate fell -3.6 percentage points to 6.8 percent, while nonfarm payrolls were about unchanged, down -1,100 jobs in October, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The September monthly decrease in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from -12,000 to -9,200 jobs. The September unemployment rate was revised upward from the preliminary report, from 10.2 percent to 10.4 percent.
The October payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflects activity for the week including the 12th. The BLS has published FAQs for the October payroll jobs and the unemployment rate.
The state’s unemployment rate was -0.1 percentage point lower than the national unemployment rate reported for October, which was 6.9 percent, down -1.0 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was up +3.1 percentage points from a year ago when it was 3.7 percent.
In October, the three industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment were: Professional and Business Services (+13,800), Construction (+4,200) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+2,100). The industry sectors that reported the largest payroll declines were: Government (-13,500), Educational and Health Services (-6,500) and Information (-1,500).
“While the unemployment rate has steadily declined over the last several months, the governor’s office and IDES are working tirelessly to assist claimants while confronting the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. “IDES is taking necessary steps to make claimants aware of the impending expiration to the federal CARES Act programs, set to end the week ending December 26. The department is working closely with the Pritzker administration to advocate for claimant stability at the federal level and will continue to do so throughout this pandemic.”
“While we continue to see positive signs that employment is picking back up, we know that there is much more work ahead as we strive for a full recovery from the impact of COVID-19 on our Illinois workers and Illinois businesses,” said Erin Guthrie, Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). “Under the leadership of Governor Pritzker, Illinois has not only led with a swift and decisive public health response to the virus, but we’ve also introduced more than $1 billion in economic support programs at DCEO alone to help small businesses and communities weather the storm. Our continued vigilance on public health measures is necessary to restore our economy and bring more people back to work.”
Compared to a year ago, nonfarm payroll employment decreased by -411,800 jobs, with losses across all major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs decreases were: Leisure and Hospitality (-129,000), Professional and Business Services (-64,800) and Educational and Health Services (-59,600). Illinois nonfarm payrolls were down -6.7 percent over-the-year as compared to the nation’s -6.1 percent over-the-year decline in October.
The number of unemployed workers declined sharply from the prior month, a -35.5 percent decrease to 425,900 but was up +80.3 percent over the same month for the prior year. The labor force was down -1.7 percent over-the-month and down -3.1 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
* I just spoke to Secretary White on the phone a few minutes ago and we had a good laugh about that comment. His people sent me this pic shortly after my conversation…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 14,612 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 168 additional deaths.
Bureau County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 90s
Champaign County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
Christian County: 1 female 70s
Cook County: 1 female 30s, 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 4 males 50s, 6 males 60s, 6 females 70s, 3 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 5 females 90s, 3 males 90s
Cumberland County: 1 female 90s
DeWitt County: 1 female 80s
DuPage County: 2 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 2 males 70s, 4 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s
Effingham County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
Greene County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Jackson County: 1 female 90s
Kane County: 1 female 50s, 2 males 70s, 4 males 80s, 2 females 90s
Kankakee County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
Kendall County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
Knox County: 2 females 80s
Lake County: 2 males 60s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 2 male 90s
LaSalle County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
Lee County: 1 male 70s
Livingston County: 1 male 80s
Macon County: 3 males 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Madison County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
Marion County: 1 female 70s
McDonough County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
McHenry County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 3 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
McLean County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
Morgan County; 1 male 80s
Moultrie County: 1 male 70s
Ogle County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Peoria County: 2 females 90s
Perry County: 1 male 80s
Pike County: 1 female 80s
Randolph County: 1 male 80s
Rock Island County: 1 male 70s
Sangamon County: 1 male 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
St. Clair County: 1 male 80s
Stephenson County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 females 90s
Tazewell County: 1 male 50s, 2 females 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
Vermilion County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 60s, 2 females 70s
Wabash County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 90s
Wayne County: 1 male 70s
White County: 1 male 80s
Whiteside County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 female 100+
Will County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
Williamson County: 1 male 70s
Winnebago County: 1 male 50s, 2 males 80s
Woodford County: 1 male 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 621,383 cases, including 11,178 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 113,447 specimens for a total 9,472,674. As of last night, 6,037 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,192 patients were in the ICU and 587 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from November 12 – November 18, 2020 is 12.0%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from November 12 – November 18, 2020 is 14.0%.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* Yesterday’s indictment would’ve been during veto session, if it hadn’t been canceled. December 2nd would’ve been during the second week of the now-canceled fall session. I don’t know if that means anything. I’m just saying…
Defendants have a right to appear in person, but most likely this hearing will be held via video conference from the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse.
The folks at ComEd were so eager to suck up to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan that they even allegedly fixed their internship program to give priority to kids from his 13th Ward.
Must have been nice for kids from the 13th Ward, who I don’t begrudge the opportunity, but it’s difficult to imagine the sense of entitlement behind such a demand.
It’s that sense of entitlement that lurks behind all the charges contained in Wednesday’s late-breaking indictment of four people accused of conspiring to corruptly influence Madigan to benefit the electric utility.
* While reading the indictments yesterday after also reading ComEd’s very similar deferred prosecution agreement earlier this year, I couldn’t help but think that ComEd and Exelon executives should’ve behaved more like the young manager of a new chain coffee shop in the Soprano’s neighborhood when Patsy and Burt walked in. Language alert for those of you who still actually work at an office these days…
Patsy [peering at name badge] Manager Adare. Welcome to the neighborhood. [shakes hands] We’re from the North Ward Merchants Protective Cooperative.
Manager: I’m kinda busy. Are you guys looking for a donation?
Burt: Let him finish.
Patsy: You may have noticed, not to denigrate anyone, but this is a transitional neighborhood; I mean, demographically speaking, you still have a lot of marginal types.
Burt: And we merchants have found that you really should have some round-the-clock security here.
Manager: Isn’t that what the police are for?
Patsy: They do their best but they got their hands full. Your weekly dues to us will give you all the supplemental safety net you’ll ever need.
Manager: I can’t authorize anything like that. It would have to go through Corporate in Seattle.
Patsy: We Merchants prefer to deal on a personal, one-on-one basis.
Manager: I don’t have any discretionary funds. It’s gotta go through Corporate.
Burt: How do you think Corporate would feel if, for the sake of argument, somebody threw a brick though that window?
Manager: They’ve got like 10,000 stores in North America. I don’t think they’d feel anything.
Patsy: [menacingly] What if, God forbid, it wasn’t just vandalism. What if an employee – even the manager, say – was assaulted?
Manager: Look, every last f___ing coffee bean is in the computer and has to be accounted for. If the numbers don’t add up, I’ll be gone and somebody else will be here
Patsy: [giving up, walks back outside with Burt in disgust and laments] It’s over for the little guy.
* Roundup…
* Madigan confidant and ex-ComEd CEO charged with bribery in lobbying scheme: Federal prosecutors marched deeper into House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle Wednesday, charging longtime confidant Michael McClain and ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore in a bribery scheme designed to curry favor with the powerful Southwest Side Democrat.
* Key Madigan Ally, ComEd Lobbyists And Official Indicted In Federal Bribery Scheme: The fifty-page indictment spans nine years of alleged wrongdoing by ComEd’s four representatives, shedding new light on actions first alleged in a deferred prosecution agreement against ComEd itself filed in July. Under the agreement, ComEd’s prosecution will be delayed for three years as the company cooperates in the investigation, and must pay a $200 million fine.
* Madigan confidant, three others indicted in ComEd bribery scheme allegedly aimed at influencing speaker: The indictment alleged that beginning in 2011, the defendants “arranged for various associates” of Madigan — including his political allies and campaign workers — to “obtain jobs, contracts, and monetary payments” from ComEd even in instances where they did little or no actual work. Madigan is referred to in the charges only as Public Official A.
* Indictments Hit Speaker Madigan’s Inner Circle, Former ComEd CEO: McClain purportedly served as both a go-between and a conductor who guided Prammagiore and Hooker to hire individuals and interns connected to the speaker, while Doherty used his lobbying firm to funnel money to Madigan allies even though they performed little or no work.
* Mike Madigan confidant and ex-ComEd CEO charged with bribery in lobbying scheme: In a statement, ComEd spokesperson Paul Elsberg said: “ComEd has already moved aggressively to implement comprehensive ethics and compliance reforms, and we’re committed to earning back the trust of the communities we’re privileged to serve. However, we’re not able to comment on specific matters related to these former ComEd executives or beyond what is in the statement of facts in ComEd’s deferred prosecution agreement.”
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan released the following statement Thursday:
The indictment returned Wednesday does not allege any criminal misconduct on my part. I have not been accused of or charged with any wrongdoing.
After a lengthy investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged, but of course has not proven, that certain ComEd employees, consultants, and lobbyists allegedly conspired with one another in the hope of somehow influencing me in my official capacity. Let me be clear: if that attempt ever happened, it was never made known to me. If it had been known to me, it would have been profoundly unwelcome. Nothing in either this indictment or in the earlier filings by the U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges otherwise. In addition, nothing in this indictment or in the earlier filings alleges that I did anything in my official capacity related to ComEd’s legislative agenda as a result of whatever internal decisions ComEd made or didn’t make. Any such allegation would be false. If there was an attempt to influence me in my official capacity, it failed, although knowing most of the people who were charged, I doubt there was any scheme as characterized by the government.
To the extent that anyone at ComEd or Exelon believed they could influence my conduct as a legislator by hiring someone I may have recommended, who worked for me, or who did political work for me, they were fundamentally mistaken. If they even harbored the thought that they could bribe or influence me, they would have failed miserably. I take offense at any notion otherwise. To the extent anyone may have suggested to others that I could be influenced, then they, too, were wrong. Had I known about it, I would have made every effort to put a stop to it.
The energy legislation cited by the U.S. Attorney’s Office had the broad support of Democratic and Republican members, other legislative leaders, labor supporters, consumer advocates, and environmentalists. The bills could not have passed without such broad support, and they were the product of years of deliberation, negotiations, and consensus building. House Democrats won significant concessions, much to the chagrin of ComEd and Exelon, likely costing the companies millions of dollars in profits, all while acting in the best interests of our constituents and the ratepayers. It cannot be seriously said that my staff or I carried the banner for ComEd or Exelon on these bills. The 2016 FEJA bill, for example, would not have moved but for the intense involvement of Representative Durkin and former Governor Rauner.
I believe a large part of my duty as an elected official is to help people, and I’ve made that a priority since the day I took the oath of office. It has required drastic measures like taking on a billionaire governor bent on destroying unions and eliminating social services programs that our most vulnerable citizens rely on to survive day-to-day. It has also required attention to detail like removing gang graffiti from buildings and garages, connecting residents with services that can help improve their lives, helping students find internships, and recommending qualified people who are seeking employment. Helping people find jobs is not a crime. As I have stated before, I have never helped someone find a job with an expectation that the person would not be asked to perform work by his or her employer. Anyone who has ever worked for or around me knows I value, above all else, hard work and dedication, whether it’s knocking on doors, collecting garbage, or representing a client. I have also never promised, implicitly or explicitly, to take any action benefiting a prospective employer if it should choose to hire a person that I recommended. Nor have I ever recommended someone for a job with an expectation or understanding that the prospective employer would hire that person to reward me for an action it believed I took. I do not inquire into an employer’s rationale for making particular hiring decisions, nor do I treat that employer differently depending on those decisions. This has been my practice for decades.
If there was credible evidence that I had engaged in criminal misconduct, which I most certainly did not, I would be charged with a crime. But I have not, and with good reason because there is nothing wrong or illegal about making job recommendations, regardless of what people inside ComEd may have hoped to achieve from hiring some of the people who were recommended.
Nonetheless, even though I am not alleged to have done anything in my official capacity as Speaker of the House to assist ComEd and have not been accused of any wrongdoing, this investigation has been used as a political weapon by those who seek to have me step down. I anticipate some will be disappointed that I was not a party to this indictment and find it difficult to swallow the fact that I have not been accused of or charged with any wrongdoing. These same individuals will likely claim this indictment should end my tenure as a public official, even though it alleges no criminal conduct on my part, nor does it allege I had knowledge of any criminal conduct by others.
Some individuals have spent millions of dollars and worked diligently to establish a false narrative that I am corrupt and unethical. I have publicly ignored their antics because those who know me and work with me know that this rhetoric is simply untrue. The truth is that I have never engaged in any inappropriate or criminal conduct. Despite baseless speculation alluding to the contrary, I have always gone to great lengths to ensure my conduct is legal and ethical, and any claim to the contrary is patently false. I have always steadfastly worked to build a strong Democratic Party and House Democratic Caucus in an effort to help the hardworking people of Illinois.
This year has presented us with many challenges and we have always put the betterment of the people of Illinois first. We want to see our caucus go a new direction with different leadership. Therefore, we will not be supporting the current speaker for the 102nd General Assembly.
Representative Jonathan Carroll
57th District
Representative Sam Yingling
62nd District
That’s 14.
If everyone who has said they won’t vote for Madigan (8 plus today’s 2) or said he should step aside and let someone else take over (4) actually stick to their guns, Speaker Madigan is now at 59 for the January election. That’s one short of the 60 he needs to win another term.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Rep. Will Guzzardi makes 15…
In so many ways, our state is at a crossroads. We face unprecedented political, economic, social, and public health crises. And they are compounded by Illinoisans’ lack of faith in our government to lead our state fairly and ethically.
The charges announced last night only confirm what we already knew: the old ways of doing business in Springfield will not be adequate to rise to our present challenges. We will need new, transformative leadership to meet this moment.
I join many of my fellow House members in asking Rep. Madigan not to seek re-election as Speaker of the Illinois House. If he does, we will not be voting for him. And without our votes, we do not believe he will have the requisite number to be re-elected as Speaker.
It is time for our House Democratic Caucus to decide on new leadership for the 102nd General Assembly. This is a historic moment, and I look forward to the discussion with my colleagues on a transformative new direction for our Caucus.
…Adding… Reps. Kelly Cassidy, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Terra Costa Howard, Maurice West, Bob Morgan, Anne Stava-Murray, Stephanie Kifowit and Lindsey LaPointe have all said they would not vote to reelect Madigan. Reps. Deb Conroy, Robyn Gabel, Anna Moeller and Ann Williams recently sent Madigan a letter asking him not to run again so somebody new could take his place. Add today’s three and that’s 15. The House Democrats will have 73 seats in the next General Assembly, so MJM is now two shy of the 60 he needs for reelection unless some folks get cold feet and flip back.
*** UPDATE 2 *** This seals it…
November 19, 2020
On November 8, 2020, we sent a letter to Speaker Madigan calling on him to step aside and make room for new leadership of the Illinois House in January. In the wake of yesterday’s expansive and far-reaching indictment, it has become even more clear that the Speaker will no longer be able to effectively lead the House Democratic caucus, and we will not be supporting him for Speaker.
We are committed to working collaboratively with our colleagues to identify the best path forward to protect working families, ensure access to healthcare, protect our environment and address other critical Democratic priorities.
Representative Deb Conroy - 46th District
Representative Robyn Gabel - 18th District
Representative Anna Moeller - 43rd District
Representative Ann M. Williams - 11th District
*** UPDATE 3 *** Press release…
Representative-elect Margaret Croke of Illinois’ 12th district will not support Speaker Michael Madigan’s reelection as the Speaker of the Illinois House.
Croke, who will represent Chicago’s near Northside, lakefront neighborhoods stated, “Given the incredible challenges facing our state, Springfield cannot afford distractions that take our focus off of meeting those challenges head-on.
We must do all that we can to restore people’s trust. Springfield needs to focus on helping people get through this pandemic and then restoring and rebuilding a better economy and state that works for everyone.
With change comes opportunity. Illinois has a diverse and majority-woman legislature. It is my hope that when I am sworn in to serve the 12th district, I will have an opportunity to cast my vote for a Speaker that represents the diversity of our state. We must then get to work restoring trust with voters and addressing the very serious and real challenges we face.”
Croke joins other notable representatives calling for a change in leadership.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Rep. Daniel Didech has also issued a statement. Click here to read it.
* I am absolutely fascinated by this press release. I had no idea that such a thing existed…
The State of Illinois today joined ADM and Innovafeed – leaders in production of animal nutrition and feed – in announcing major new plans to bring the world’s largest insect protein production to Decatur, Illinois. The facility will be owned and operated by the French insect producer Innovafeed and will co-locate with ADM’s Decatur corn processing complex, with ADM supplying feedstocks, waste heat and more. Together, these investments will bolster Illinois’ access to sustainable agriculture feed supply, while creating new jobs and advancing the growing agriculture industry in Illinois.
“InnovaFeed’s decision to bring their first ever international facility and state-of-the-art agriculture technology to Illinois is a vote of confidence for our state, and a win for our farming communities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinois has always been a global leader in agriculture and technology, and we offer the resources to support this major international expansion – with an educated workforce, proximity to global businesses like ADM, and access to shipping and logistics. The investments InnovaFeed is making in Decatur will not only support our thriving agriculture industry – a cornerstone of our economy – but will unlock new well-paying jobs for our communities.”
“We are very pleased to launch this ambitious project, working alongside ADM and Illinois state partners as InnovaFeed expands to provide sustainable solutions to meet the fast-growing demand for insect feed in the US and worldwide,” said Clement Ray, CEO and co-founder of InnovaFeed. “Around the world, InnovaFeed is contributing to the emergence of sustainable food systems by developing a pioneering and sustainable industry. Our new operations in Illinois, a global leader and destination for agriculture, will allow us to take the next steps to innovate and grow our business.”
Insect feed has become an increasingly popular protein ingredient for agriculture and aquaculture industries, as demand for animal feed has now reached an all-time high and consumers look for food that is sustainably and responsibly grown. InnovaFeed already operates two insect production facilities in France, including what is today the world’s largest. The Decatur facility represents InnovaFeed’s first international project.
“At a time when the demand for animal feed protein is steadily increasing, insect farming stands out as a true solution for the future,” said Chris Cuddy, ADM senior vice president and president of the company’s Carbohydrate Solutions business. “We’re excited to work with InnovaFeed on this ambitious project, which further expands our participation in the growing market for animal food and feed that comes from responsible, sustainable sources. It is a great demonstration of how ADM is expanding its value chain by offering opportunities for collaboration to leading, innovative startups. It is yet another example of how we are constantly identifying new ways to create value from corn, oilseeds and more. And of course, we are extremely proud that we can help bring this new, job-creating project to Decatur, the home of our North American headquarters.”
Construction of the new high-capacity facility is expected to create more than 280 direct and 400 indirect jobs in the Decatur region by the second phase. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois workNet Center will partner with InnovaFeed to develop recruiting strategies as well as on-the-job training programs. DCEO partnered with InnovaFeed through an EDGE agreement to support this large-scale capital investment. Additionally, InnovaFeed will benefit from the Decatur-Macon County Enterprise Zone and customized incentive opportunities from the City of Decatur and Economic Development Corporation of Decatur-Macon County.
“Illinois remains open for business, and companies continue to choose Illinois for growth based on our industry strengths, talent, education and access to infrastructure,” said DCEO Director Erin B. Guthrie. “With agriculture a leading industry and employer for communities across our state, these investments by InnovaFeed to bring their one-of-a-kind technology will support our farmers and those who rely upon farms. We look forward to partnering with the company on ensuring our local residents have access to jobs and economic opportunity created by this exciting new project in Decatur.”
Construction is targeted to begin in 2021, pending necessary permitting and approvals. Construction and production will come in two phases. When both are complete, the plant would have a target annual production capacity of 60,000 metric tons of animal feed protein derived from Hermetia Illucens, a type of fly with exceptional nutritional qualities; the plant will also have the capability to produce 20,000 metric tons every year of oils for poultry and swine rations, and 400,000 metric tons of fertilizer.
“The city of Decatur is pleased to partner with InnovaFeed to bring this unique and innovative facility to our community,” said Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe. “Not only will this project fuel both direct and indirect job creation, but it affirms that our best prospects for creating new jobs are in the agri-business sector, in partnership with our existing businesses, in a city that is an ideal place for groundbreaking advanced manufacturing. ADM, the State of Illinois, the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur-Macon County, and the City of Decatur worked together to bring this plant to Decatur. Our concierge approach results in joint incentive opportunities to support InnovaFeed’s infrastructure and operational needs.”
The plant will be built using an innovative model of industrial collaboration that InnovaFeed has already demonstrated in other facilities enabling the French Biotech company to produce the insect protein with the lowest carbon footprint on the market. The plant will be co-located with ADM’s Decatur corn complex, with complementary infrastructure that will allow ADM to directly provide corn by-products to supply InnovaFeed’s innovative insect rearing process, as well as waste heat and steam. This collaborative operational model will enable the Innovafeed facility to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent versus standalone production.
Advancements in agriculture technology are a key component of Governor’s Pritzker’s 5-year economic growth plan – which prioritizes investments in high growth potential industry clusters, including agriculture, technology, manufacturing, life sciences, and more. Specifically, the plan seeks to boost growth in the agriculture sector by facilitating technology adoption, encouraging innovation, and boosting connections with global markets. With over $8.5 billion in agricultural exports annually, 27 million acres of farmland, and over 300,000 residents employed by this industry, Illinois is an agriculture powerhouse. To sustain the growth of the increasingly technology-oriented agriculture industry – Illinois is making significant infrastructure investments, including through its $400 million program to create universal basic broadband access, and with a series of infrastructure upgrade investments for ports and shipping hubs located across the state, as directed by the Governor’s historic $45 billion capital plan.
