SB 3077

Abstract

Creates the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture to develop and administer a Local Food Infrastructure Grant Program to enhance local food processing, aggregation, and distribution within the State through the award of annual grants. Specifies that eligible grant applicants include certain entities that store, process, package, aggregate, or distribute farm products raised in Illinois. Provides that grant awards shall be between $1,000 and $150,000. Describes match requirements for grant recipients. Describes allowable expenses. Requires the Department to create an independent Steering Committee to guide the implementation and evaluation of the grant program. Describes the Steering Committee's composition and responsibilities. Establishes various grant application requirements. Requires the Director of Agriculture to report certain information to the Governor and General Assembly each year. Limits the liability of program administrators. Contains provisions concerning termination of a grant agreement under the Act. Defines terms. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides for subcontracting agreements with certain Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations as grant administrators. Provides that projects funded in one funding cycle may not be funded in the next funding cycle, but may apply in subsequent funding cycles. Provides for collaborative ($1,000-$250,000) and individual ($1,000-$75,000) grant awards. Makes changes to certain provisions regarding a comparable investment (rather than a percentage match), as well as regarding a "high need" exception to the requirement for a comparable investment. Provides that grant funding may not be used for the cost of production agriculture. Provides that the Steering Committee shall include one representative from the Illinois Stewardship Alliance Local Food Farmer Caucus (rather than the Department of Agriculture). Makes changes to the Steering Committee's responsibilities. Removes certain provisions relating to written form requirements, requests for waivers, and requests for modifications. Makes changes to preferences in the grant review process. Adds definitions. Makes technical and other changes.