July 28, 2009

State Budget: Ag Research Funding Eliminated

URBANA--Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR) officials have learned that food and agricultural research funding has been eliminated in the State of Illinois’ FY10 budget.  “It is our understanding the elimination of this funding (the C-FAR appropriation) was an administration decision,” says Jerry Hicks, C-FAR chairman.  The state budget approved by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by the Governor provided for general funding parameters in many cases rather than specific line allocation appropriations.  “We were totally shocked upon learning the C-FAR appropriation had been zeroed out, as it was our understanding necessary funding reductions were going to be assessed on an equitable basis,” said Hicks.

The elimination of the C-FAR appropriation leaves Illinois with no dedicated appropriation for a comprehensive food and agricultural research program.  Steve Scates, C-FAR legislative chair, says “While we are certainly aware of the state’s financial constraints, the total elimination of this funding is counterproductive to building upon our state’s greatest economic engine.  We are confident that in cooperation with the Governor and Illinois General Assembly we can rectify this matter.”

The C-FAR appropriation was initiated in fiscal year 1996 and was $15 million during fiscal years 2000-2002.

C-FAR officials share that should funding not be restored, critical ongoing research will cease; current research programs will be in disarray; the C-FAR organization will be unable to continue; professionals will lose their employment; undergraduate and graduate students, who are part of C-FAR research teams, will have educational career paths significantly interrupted; and the ability to secure millions of dollars in leveraged federal funding will be lost.

Illinois already invests less in food and agricultural research than every other Midwestern state and ranks only 24th in the nation.  “We cannot afford to step further backward in Illinois when the food and agricultural industry is facing some of its greatest challenges and opportunities in decades,” says Hicks.  “We are grateful for the tremendous degree of appreciation and support for C-FAR and this appropriation by our membership and elected and appointed officials.  We, however, obviously have some work to do in ensuring the importance of this funding is universally embraced at every level.”

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The Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR) is a non-profit organization established in 1993 and later named in state legislation to guide, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the state’s appropriation for food and agricultural research.