SWCD state funding level unchanged

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State funding appropriations for Soil and Water Conservation Districts were kept at current levels for the third consecutive year, while legislation to create a sustainable funding source for the agency stalled.

The Illinois General Assembly approved the nearly $56 billion fiscal year 2027 budget June 1 that included $4.5 million for SWCD operation expenses.

“That was level where it was the previous two years. Prior to that, however, we had gotten our funding up to $8.5 million for three years in a row, and many were under the assumption that this was going to be the new standard because it had not been raised in years prior,” said Eliot Clay, Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts executive director.

“But then it was cut a few years ago with a lot of budget constraints, and we got knocked back.”

The $4.5 million for SWCDs will be funneled down to the 97 districts serving 102 Illinois counties, equating to between $37,000 and $38,000 per district that is earmarked for operations.

“It’s going to be tough. Ideally, these districts are employing two people full time. For one person that’s not sustainable, let alone two,” Clay said.

“We’ve got some districts that have gotten really great about being creative with other funding sources through their own fish, plant and tree sales, agreements with counties and all those things.

“But we’ve got some that are struggling and have told us flat out they’ve got less than 12 months of operating funds in the budget. So, this year could be one where we really start seeing the negative impacts of the sustained budget and inefficiencies.

“Essentially we’re looking at the same budget that was suggested by the governor back in January, but ultimately we were seeking more in the appropriation side, closer to $10 million.”

Sustainable Funding Efforts

After multiple years of funding uncertainty, legislation was introduced to create a sustainable way to fund SWCDs that wouldn’t hinge on General Revenue Fund appropriations.

Senate Bill 4044, sponsored by state Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, would establish the Agricultural Land Conservation Act.

The bill would create a one-time farmland conversion fee paid by developers when agricultural land is permanently converted to non-farm uses.

“So, essentially every acre of ag land that is currently in production that would be taken out of production for development would be assessed a $67-an-acre fee that would have only been paid by developers, not landowners,” Clay said.

Under the bill, a farmland conversion fee would be paid “by the buyer or lessee of a transaction for any agricultural land that will be removed from production for the specific purpose of developing an industrial park, a commercial area, a single-family or multi-family dwelling or for being put to any other use that removes the agricultural land from production.”

“We wrote this specifically to not put a burden on farmers, and there were even exemptions in there for some environmental things, like developing agrivoltaics as part of solar projects, and things like that,” Clay said.

The bill was sent to the Senate Assignment Committee on May 22 with no further action prior to the June 1 adjournment.

Looking Ahead

“Unfortunately, we got through the process, we had a subject matter hearing in the Senate that went very well, but in the 11th hour we along with a lot of other people were disappointed in the outcome of the budget. I think a lot of it is just chalked up to the fact that it was a very difficult budget year,” Clay said.

“We’re licking our wounds right now, but we’re going to come back during veto session.”

The veto session is scheduled to begin after the general election in November, and there are various revenue proposals on the table.

“The challenge continues and there’s a lot of different things we’re considering right now. We’ve got the veto session coming up, so we’re going to keep pressing this revenue idea,” Clay said.

“The one cool thing is that we have a lot of bipartisan support for that, from very progressive Democrats and very conservative Republicans. I think there’s an interest to see a better funding source for conservation in general in Illinois, not just for agriculture, but also open space, too.

“The state has been wrangling with how to do this for a number of years, and I think there’s a lot of people that are interested in trying to figure that out. So, maybe there’s strength in numbers there, who knows?

“In the meantime, we’re going to spend the summer doing our own education efforts and getting lawmakers out to farms and showing them what’s going on.”