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HB 3067

SMALL FARMERS RESTORATION PRGM

104th Regular Session Introduced by Carol Ammons and 22 co-sponsors

Creates a Small Farmer Restoration Program to fund acquiring agricultural conservation easements and provide training and technical assistance to socially disadvantaged and new far

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Bill Summary · HB 3067

Summary — HB 3067 (Small Farmer Restoration Program Act)

Status: Engrossed; introduced Feb 20, 2025. Passed the House (3rd reading: 04/10/2025, 71–38–1). Referred to Senate committees (State Affairs, Assignments). Effective immediately upon enactment (per bill).

Purpose

Creates a Small Farmer Restoration Program to expand access to farmland for socially disadvantaged, limited‑resource, new, and otherwise eligible small farmers by funding agricultural conservation easements, technical assistance, training, and a youth workforce program.

Key provisions

  • Establishes the Small Farmer Restoration Program Fund as a special State treasury fund. Moneys are spent only upon appropriation.

    • Not more than 10% of available funds may be used for technical assistance and administration.
    • At least 90% of funds available for grants must be used for acquiring agricultural conservation easements.

  • Grants and uses:

    • Grants to qualified easement holders (state/federal agencies, local governments, or experienced 501(c)(3) nonprofits) to purchase agricultural conservation easements on qualified farmland and to pay allowable acquisition costs (appraisals, surveys, title verification, closing, recording, documentation).
    • Technical assistance grants to qualified entities (501(c)(3) nonprofits or fiscally sponsored organizations that provide legal, business, or advocacy services) to help socially disadvantaged farmers gain access to farmland.
    • Department administration and program delivery costs (subject to the 10% cap).

  • Definitions and eligibility:

    • “Socially disadvantaged farmer” defined by membership in specified racial/ethnic/gender groups (lists included).
    • “Limited resource farmer,” “new and beginning farmer,” “eligible individual” (resident born in Illinois, 21+, with prior disadvantaged farmer status), and other program terms are defined in statute.
    • “Technical assistance” and “training” defined; training must be approved by the Director, be at least equivalent to 30 academic credit hours, emphasize regenerative, low‑capital practices and local food systems.

  • Program implementation and rules:

    • Department of Agriculture (Director) to adopt rules and a scoring process that prioritizes applications benefiting socially disadvantaged farmers, limited‑resource farmers, those with a history of land dispossession, and new/beginning farmers.
    • Rules must align with federal and local programs to maximize matching funds; synopsis indicates rule deadline of December 31, 2026.
    • Establishes, in partnership with the University of Illinois Extension, a Farm Conservation Corps for residents ages 18–29 from socially disadvantaged groups to build agricultural career skills.

  • Easement limitations:

    • Easements under the Act generally cannot prohibit constructing or maintaining a primary residence or farmworker housing on the property unless the easement explicitly allows such restrictions.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: socially disadvantaged farmers, limited‑resource farmers, new and beginning farmers, and Illinois residents with a history of land dispossession.
  • Implementers and recipients: Department of Agriculture, University of Illinois Extension, qualified easement holders (public agencies and eligible nonprofits), and qualified technical assistance entities.
  • Landowners who convey easements and local farmland conserved under program grants.

Budgetary and procedural notes

  • Funding is subject to appropriation by the General Assembly; federal grants and donor‑designated gifts may be deposited into the Fund.
  • Allocation limits (≤10% admin/TA, ≥90% easement acquisition) shape program spending priorities.
  • The program’s reach depends on future appropriations, rulemaking by the Director, and coordination for matching funds.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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