Bill Text: IL HB2557 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Creates the Farmer Equity and Innovation Act. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill but eliminates all references to "ranches", "ranchers", and "ranching".

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-03-14 - Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Mattie Hunter [HB2557 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB2557-Engrossed.html

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HB2557 Engrossed LRB103 25608 RLC 51957 b
AN ACT concerning agriculture.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Farmer
Equity and Innovation Act.
Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Limited resource farmer or rancher" means a farmer or
rancher who has a total household income at or below the
national poverty level for a family of 4, or less than 50% of
the county median household income in each of the previous 2
years.
"Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher" means a farmer
or rancher who has been subjected to racial or ethnic
prejudices because of their identity as a member of a group
without regard to their individual qualities.
Section 10. Farmer Equity and Innovation Center.
(a) Subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and
approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, the
Farmer Equity and Innovation Center is created at the
University of Illinois Extension.
(b) The Farmer Equity and Innovation Center shall:
(1) ensure the continued economic viability of

HB2557 Engrossed - 2 - LRB103 25608 RLC 51957 b
small-scale and moderate-scale diversified farms and
ranches by creating a coordinated, statewide program to
support the operators of those farms and ranches,
prioritizing limited resource farmers and ranchers and
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers;
(2) establish a Farmer Equity and Innovation Program
administered by the Center;
(3) utilize the University of Illinois Small Farm
Advisors, and require the University to increase its Small
Farm Advisor positions to 6 in number;
(4) include applied research on specified subjects
concerning farming and ranching in Illinois, outreach
regarding those subjects, and informational services on
assistance provided by or through the Center or nonprofit
organizations designated by the Center;
(5) authorize the Program to include special training
for new and beginning farmers and ranchers, with priority
given to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; and
(6) conduct a study to determine and issue an annual
report to the Governor and General Assembly containing a
demographic breakdown of farmers and ranchers who
participate in the Program.