Public Act 097-0879
 
HB4447 EnrolledLRB097 15669 CEL 60811 b

    AN ACT concerning agriculture.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Food and Agriculture Research Act is amended
by changing Sections 15, 20, and 25 as follows:
 
    (505 ILCS 82/15)
    Sec. 15. Allocation of funds. Appropriations for the
purposes of this Act shall be made to the Illinois Department
of Agriculture, which shall allocate funds appropriated under
this Act for research to Illinois public and non-public
institutions of higher education, as defined in Section 2 of
the Higher Education Cooperation Act, as established by the
Board of Directors of the Illinois Council on Food and
Agricultural Research, which is a non-profit, non-political
organization. The Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural
Research shall prepare and deliver to the General Assembly,
Governor, Director of Agriculture, and the food and
agricultural research administrators at each of the public and
non-public institutions of higher learning that receive
research dollars under this Act an annual report providing a
summary and detailed account of the research programs being
supported. the following entities providing each the pro rata
share indicated: the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station,
82%; Southern Illinois University College of Agriculture, 11%;
Illinois State University Department of Agriculture, 4%;
Western Illinois University Department of Agriculture, 3%.
Three years after the effective date of this Act and every 3
years thereafter, the Director of Agriculture shall review
these percentages, ascertain their appropriateness, and report
to the General Assembly.
    To offset the cost of administering the appropriation, the
Department of Agriculture may retain $50,000 or 1/2 of 1% of
the total appropriation, whichever is less.
    To offset the cost of members of C-FAR incurred while
performing their duties as official group representatives, up
to 1% of the funds appropriated for the purposes of this Act
may be allocated by the Department of Agriculture to cover
these expenses. Members shall serve without compensation, but
shall be reimbursed for ordinary and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties. The reimbursement
rates shall not exceed those rates that apply to State
employees.
(Source: P.A. 89-182, eff. 7-19-95; 90-94, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
    (505 ILCS 82/20)
    Sec. 20. Use of funds. The universities receiving funds
under this Act shall work closely with the Illinois Council on
Food and Agricultural Research to develop and prioritize an
appropriate research agenda for the State system. To support
that agenda, funds shall be expended as follows:
        (1) To support a broad program of food and agricultural
    research, to include, but not limited to, research on
    natural resource, environmental, economic, nutritional,
    and social impacts of agricultural systems, human and
    animal health, and the concerns of consumers of food and
    agricultural products and services.
        (2) To build and maintain research capacity including
    construction, renovation, and maintenance of physical
    facilities; acquire and maintain equipment; employ
    appropriately trained and qualified personnel; provide
    supplies; and meet the expenses required to conduct the
    research and related technology transfer activities.
        (3) To A minimum of 15% of the funds allocated to each
    university shall be used to fund an innovative competitive
    grants program administered by the Department of
    Agriculture within the guidelines and procedures
    established by the Illinois Council on Food and
    Agricultural Research jointly by the 4 institutions
    identified in Section 15. The grants program is intended to
    be organized around desired practical, quantifiable, and
    achievable objectives in the food and agricultural sector.
    The Board of Directors of the Illinois Council on Food and
    Agricultural Research shall evaluate and recommend assist
    in evaluating and selecting the proposals for funding.
    Proposals may be submitted by any nonprofit institution,
    organization, or agency in Illinois. The principal
    investigator must be a qualified researcher with
    experience in a food and agriculture related discipline.
    Funds from other sources (both public and private) may be
    combined with funds appropriated for this Act to support
    cooperative efforts.
    (4) It is intended that the universities that receive these
funds shall continue (i) to operate and maintain the on-campus
buildings and facilities used in their agriculture related
programs and provide the support services typically provided
other university programs, and (ii) to fund agricultural
programs from the higher education budget.
(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)
 
    (505 ILCS 82/25)
    Sec. 25. Administrative oversight.
    (a) The Department of Agriculture shall provide general
administrative oversight with the assistance and advice of duly
elected Board of Directors appointed representatives of the
Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research. Food and
agricultural research administrators at each of the
universities shall administer the specifics of the funded
research programs program. Annually the Illinois Council on
Food and Agricultural Research these administrators shall
prepare a combined proposed budget for the research that the
Director of Agriculture shall submit to the Governor for
inclusion in the Executive budget and consideration by the
General Assembly. The budget shall specify major categories of
proposed expenditures, including salary, wages, and fringe
benefits; operation and maintenance; supplies and expenses;
and capital improvements.
    (b) The Department, with the assistance of the Illinois
Council on Food and Agricultural Research, may seek additional
grants and donations for research. Additional funds shall be
used in conjunction with appropriated funds for research. All
additional grants and donations for research shall be deposited
into the Food and Agricultural Research Fund, a special fund
created in the State treasury, and used as provided in this
Act.
(Source: P.A. 89-182, eff. 7-19-95.)
 
    Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.811 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 105/5.811 new)
    Sec. 5.811. The Food and Agricultural Research Fund.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.