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91_HB1897enr HB1897 Enrolled LRB9104720DHmg 1 AN ACT creating the Illinois Value-Added Agricultural 2 Enhancement Program. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 5. The Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is 6 amended by adding Section 40.43 as follows: 7 (20 ILCS 205/40.43 new) 8 Sec. 40.43. Value Added Agricultural Products. 9 (a) To expend funds appropriated to the Department of 10 Agriculture to develop and implement a grant program for 11 value added agricultural products, to be called the "Illinois 12 Value-Added Agriculture Enhancement Program". The grants are 13 to provide 50% of (i) the cost of undertaking feasibility 14 studies, competitive assessments, and consulting or 15 productivity services that the Department determines may 16 result in enhancement of value added agricultural products 17 and (ii) seed money for new or expanding agribusiness. 18 (b) "Agribusiness" means any sole proprietorship, 19 limited partnership, copartnership, joint venture, 20 corporation, or cooperative that operates or will operate a 21 facility located within the State of Illinois that is related 22 to the processing of agricultural commodities (including, 23 without limitation, the products of aquaculture, hydroponics, 24 and silviculture) or the manufacturing, production, or 25 construction of agricultural buildings, structures, 26 equipment, implements, and supplies, or any other facilities 27 or processes used in agricultural production. Agribusiness 28 includes but is not limited to the following: 29 (1) grain handling and processing, including grain 30 storage, drying, treatment, conditioning, milling, and 31 packaging; HB1897 Enrolled -2- LRB9104720DHmg 1 (2) seed and feed grain development and processing; 2 (3) fruit and vegetable processing, including 3 preparation, canning, and packaging; 4 (4) processing of livestock and livestock products, 5 dairy products, poultry and poultry products, fish, or 6 apiarian products, including slaughter, shearing, 7 collecting, preparation, canning, and packaging; 8 (5) fertilizer and agricultural chemical 9 manufacturing, processing, application, and supplying; 10 (6) farm machinery, equipment, and implement 11 manufacturing and supplying; 12 (7) manufacturing and supplying of agricultural 13 commodity processing machinery and equipment, including 14 machinery and equipment used in slaughter, treatment, 15 handling, collecting, preparation, canning, or packaging 16 of agricultural commodities; 17 (8) farm building and farm structure manufacturing, 18 construction, and supplying; 19 (9) construction, manufacturing, implementation, 20 supplying, or servicing of irrigation, drainage, and soil 21 and water conservation devices or equipment; 22 (10) fuel processing and development facilities 23 that produce fuel from agricultural commodities or 24 by-products; 25 (11) facilities and equipment for processing and 26 packaging agricultural commodities specifically for 27 export; 28 (12) facilities and equipment for forestry product 29 processing and supplying, including sawmilling 30 operations, wood chip operations, timber harvesting 31 operations, and manufacturing of prefabricated buildings, 32 paper, furniture, or other goods from forestry products; 33 and 34 (13) facilities and equipment for research and HB1897 Enrolled -3- LRB9104720DHmg 1 development of products, processes, and equipment for the 2 production, processing, preparation, or packaging of 3 agricultural commodities and by-products. 4 (c) The "Illinois Value-Added Agriculture Enhancement 5 Program Fund" is created as a special fund in the State 6 Treasury to provide grants to Illinois' small agribusinesses, 7 subject to appropriation for that purpose. Each grant 8 awarded under this program shall provide funding for up to 9 50% of the cost of (i) the development of valued added 10 agricultural products or (ii) seed money for new or expanding 11 agribusiness, not to exceed 50% of appropriated funds. 12 Notwithstanding the other provisions of this paragraph, the 13 fund shall not be used to provide seed money to an Illinois 14 small agribusiness for the purpose of compliance with the 15 provisions of the Livestock Management Facilities Act. 16 (d) For the purposes of this Section, "Illinois small 17 agribusiness" means a "small business concern" as defined in 18 Title 15 United States Code, Section 632, that primarily 19 conducts its business in Illinois. 20 (e) The Department shall make such rules and regulations 21 as may be necessary to carry out its statutory duties. Among 22 other duties, the Department, through the program, may do all 23 of the following: 24 (1) Make and enter into contracts, including but 25 not limited to making grants specified by the General 26 Assembly pursuant to appropriations by the General 27 Assembly from the Illinois Value-Added Agriculture 28 Enhancement Program Fund, and generally to do all such 29 things as, in its judgment, may be necessary, proper, and 30 expedient in accomplishing its duties. 31 (2) Provide for, staff, and administer a program in 32 which the Department shall plan and coordinate State 33 efforts designed to aid and stimulate the development of 34 value-added agribusiness. HB1897 Enrolled -4- LRB9104720DHmg 1 (3) Make grants on the terms and conditions that 2 the Department shall determine, except that no grant made 3 under the provisions of this item (3) shall exceed 50% of 4 the direct costs. 5 (4) Act as the State Agriculture Planning Agency, 6 and accept and use planning grants or other financial 7 assistance from the federal government (i) for statewide 8 comprehensive planning work including research and 9 coordination activity directly related to agriculture 10 needs; and (ii) for state and inter-state comprehensive 11 planning and research and coordination activity related 12 thereto. All such grants shall be subject to the terms 13 and conditions prescribed by the federal government. 14 (f) The Illinois Value-Added Agricultural Enhancement 15 Fund is subject to the provisions of the Illinois Grant Funds 16 Recovery Act (GFRA). 17 Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding 18 Section 5.490 as follows: 19 (30 ILCS 105/5.490 new) 20 Sec. 5.490. The Illinois Value-Added Agriculture 21 Enhancement Program Fund. 22 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 23 becoming law.