SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Details of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois General Assembly’s state budget for FY 2007, which begins July 1, have been provided by the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) and the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR).

In general, legislators maintained or increased spending for all but a few key agricultural programs, the IFB reported.

As provided for by the new state budget, agricultural educators will see a $500,000 increase in designated spending for a total of $2.88 million, while Soil and Water Conservation Districts will see a $1 million increase from $5.6 million to $6.6 million.

The University of Illinois (UOI) Extension received a budget increase for a total of $12.8 million in state money to match county-generated revenue, the IFB reports, and received “slight” funding increases for youth educators and Cook County (Chicago area) Extension Services.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture will be granted $1.6 million for a pilot program designed to reduce thefts of anhydrous ammonia, a key component in the manufacture of methamphetamines. In addition, C-FAR’s budget has been increased by around $1 million, for a total budget of $4.5 million. As recently as last year, the governor had considered stripping C-FAR’s budget entirely.

In addition, lawmakers provided state funding for the first time for AgrAbility Unlimited, a statewide program that assists disabled farmers and their families. The program, which had been stripped of all federal funding April 1, received a $200,000 boost.

This farm news was published in the May 17, 2006 issue of Farm World.