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91_SB1972
LRB9114580TAcsA
1 AN ACT in relation to agricultural development.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Animal Agriculture Industry Development Program Act.
6 Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to
7 authorize the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to
8 award grants which encourage and stimulate the start-up,
9 modernization, and expansion of animal agriculture operations
10 in the State of Illinois.
11 Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
12 "Animal agriculture producer" means individuals or
13 entities engaged in dairying or the breeding, feeding, and
14 management of livestock.
15 "Department" means the Department of Commerce and
16 Community Affairs.
17 "Director" means the Director of Commerce and Community
18 Affairs.
19 "Professional services" means the services necessary to
20 assist in evaluating the start-up, modernization, or
21 expansion of an Illinois animal agriculture operation by a
22 third party. "Professional services" includes costs
23 associated with developing a business plan or feasibility
24 study.
25 "Program" means the Animal Agriculture Industry
26 Development Program.
27 Section 15. Grant Program.
28 (a) The Department, in cooperation with the Department
29 of Agriculture and subject to appropriated funds, shall
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1 establish a short-term pilot Animal Agriculture Industry
2 Development Program to assist animal agriculture producers in
3 the State of Illinois. The Department shall award grants to
4 assist in covering the cost of having independent third
5 parties provide the professional services necessary to assist
6 Program applicants in evaluating the start-up, modernization,
7 or expansion of Illinois animal agriculture operations.
8 (b) The Department may award up to 50% of eligible costs
9 to an applicant selected to receive a grant.
10 (c) Applicants shall be required to contribute at least
11 50% of the total project costs from sources other than the
12 State of Illinois.
13 (d) In determining which applicants shall be awarded a
14 grant, the Department shall consider the following criteria:
15 (1) viability of the project;
16 (2) impact of the project on the State's economic
17 growth;
18 (3) qualifications and expertise of the independent
19 third party providing professional services;
20 (4) capacity of the applicant to finance at least
21 50% of the total project cost from sources other than the
22 State of Illinois;
23 (5) prior compliance with loan or grant agreements
24 previously funded by the Department; and
25 (6) funding availability.
26 (e) The following types of services provided by
27 independent third parties are not eligible for funding:
28 building design, farmstead layout, manure storage planning,
29 nutrition consulting, retirement and investment planning, tax
30 planning and tax return preparation, inter-generational
31 transfer planning, information system development or
32 consulting, loan generation, chattel or real estate
33 appraisal, crop consulting, nutrient management planning,
34 herd health consulting, and the cost of completing an
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1 application to the Program.
2 (f) The Director shall determine the level of the grant
3 award.
4 (g) The Department may adopt, amend, or repeal such
5 rules as are necessary for the administration of this Act.
6 Section 20. Repeal. This Act is repealed on July 1,
7 2006.
8 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9 becoming law.