IL HB2573

Creates the Agricultural and Natural Resources Legacy Act establishing a separate fund managed by the Department of Agriculture to support farmland conservation through grants to qualified easement holders.

Fund sources include annual General Assembly appropriations, public or private grants and donations, proceeds from bond sales, and federal or state mitigation funds dedicated to farmland conservation.

Grants from the fund may pay for purchase of agricultural conservation easements on qualified farmland and associated acquisition costs such as appraisals, surveys, and closing costs; administrative costs capped at 5% of annual fund allocation.

Department of Agriculture must prioritize applications protecting farmland susceptible to development and use a scoring process considering factors like active cultivation, preventing fragmentation, supporting next-generation farmers, leveraging matching funds, and conservation priorities; easements must be perpetual.

Establishes 9-member Illinois Agricultural Legacy Council including the Directors of Agriculture and Natural Resources plus 7 appointed members representing farmers, agricultural lenders, statewide agricultural organizations, land trusts, educational institutions, soil and water conservation, and the planning profession to review and approve grant awards and program rules.