A group of Illinois lawmakers, led by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to significantly increase the amount of farm conservation funds allocated to Illinois. Despite being one of the top agricultural states in the country, Illinois ranks a surprising 37th in receiving USDA conservation funds from 2018 to 2022. This underfunding is particularly concerning given the urgent environmental challenges facing the state, including dust storms, fertilizer runoff, and the need for climate-smart farming practices.
The delegation’s letter to USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack highlights the disparity in funding between Illinois and other agricultural states. For instance, Texas, with a similar amount of planted cropland, received nearly four times more in conservation funds than Illinois in the latest funding cycle. The lawmakers argue that this shortfall hinders Illinois farmers from adopting critical conservation practices such as cover cropping, conservation tillage, and improved fertilizer management, which are essential for reducing environmental impacts and preparing for emerging climate-related markets.
The Illinois lawmakers are also calling for a revision of USDA's program rules, which they describe as a "one-size-fits-all" approach that does not adequately address the diverse agricultural conditions in Illinois. They argue that simplifying the rules and increasing funding will encourage more Illinois farmers to participate in conservation programs, ultimately leading to better environmental outcomes. With the Inflation Reduction Act providing an additional $20 billion to USDA conservation programs, the Illinois delegation insists that now is the time to correct these funding disparities and invest in the future of Illinois agriculture.
