By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Though the trickle-down effects of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s decision to withhold some $40 million in funding from agriculture-related organizations are barely beginning to be felt, most of the groups affected and some lawmakers are already making their protests heard.

The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Assoc. (IFCA), which was informed that the Blagojevich administration is not releasing anticipated Fertilizer Research and Education funds, posted a harshly-worded statement on their website saying that while the IFCA is “furious” about the development, the organization is not surprised considering “the current deadbeat status of our state.”

IFCA’s research and education program is “100 percent funded by the industry when the fertilizer tonnage fee is remitted,” the statement reads. “The explanation we were given as to why the funds will not be released as required by law is that the state of Illinois is broke.”

IFCA is working with legislators to restore funding and to explore the possibility of removing the program from the purview of the state in the near future.

In addition, State Rep. David Reis (R-Willow Hill) is working with the Assoc. of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) and other legislators in urging Blagojevich to release more than $13 million in remaining Fiscal Year 2008 SWCD funds.

“Our soil and water conservation districts are in a dire financial situation,” Reis said in a prepared statement. “Many districts will have to consider laying off staff or closing their doors if the remaining funds are not released. That would hurt conservation efforts and negatively impact our farmers and families throughout Illinois.”

State Sen. John Jones (R-Mt. Vernon) called the SWCD funding crisis “just another example of the governor playing political football with a crucial downstate agricultural program.”
Richard Nichols, executive director of the Assoc. of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts, said they are important to the state.
“One of the very important things Soil and Water Conservation Districts do is assist in the application of conservation practices to agricultural and urban lands that reduce storm water runoff, thereby reducing flooding,” Nichols said. “The loss of funding for staff and programs will severely impact the ability to provide this important benefit for the people of Illinois.”

The Illinois Pork Producers Assoc. (IPPA) also issued a statement decrying the governor’s budget cuts. Citing the SWCD as a main cog in implementing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) utilized by many pork producers, IPPA president Phil Borgic called the funding “critical” to Illinois’ agricultural future.

This farm news was published in the April 23, 2008 issue of the Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.