Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB2745 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2745 Introduced , by Rep. Jay Hoffman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act Creates the Nitrogen Reduction Program Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Agriculture shall, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources and soil and water conservation districts in the State, develop a nitrogen reduction incentive program by January 1, 2026 for the purpose of addressing water quality issues. Provides that the program will include a per-acre payment rate of not less than $5 per acre. Provides that crop management records collected from farmers shall be considered confidential. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately. LRB104 07361 BDA 17401 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2745 Introduced , by Rep. Jay Hoffman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act New Act Creates the Nitrogen Reduction Program Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Agriculture shall, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources and soil and water conservation districts in the State, develop a nitrogen reduction incentive program by January 1, 2026 for the purpose of addressing water quality issues. Provides that the program will include a per-acre payment rate of not less than $5 per acre. Provides that crop management records collected from farmers shall be considered confidential. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately. LRB104 07361 BDA 17401 b LRB104 07361 BDA 17401 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2745 Introduced , by Rep. Jay Hoffman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	New Act New Act
4	4	New Act
5	5	Creates the Nitrogen Reduction Program Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Agriculture shall, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources and soil and water conservation districts in the State, develop a nitrogen reduction incentive program by January 1, 2026 for the purpose of addressing water quality issues. Provides that the program will include a per-acre payment rate of not less than $5 per acre. Provides that crop management records collected from farmers shall be considered confidential. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
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11	11	1 AN ACT concerning agriculture.
12	12	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
13	13	3 represented in the General Assembly:
14	14	4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
15	15	5 Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Program Act.
16	16	6 Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
17	17	7 (1) It is in the interest of this State to preserve and
18	18	8 protect Illinois' water resources by incentivizing
19	19	9 efficient fertilizer management strategies and the use of
20	20	10 innovative crop nutrient technologies to help farmers
21	21	11 manage and improve their commercial nitrogen fertilizer
22	22	12 application rates.
23	23	13 (2) Innovative fertilizer management strategies and
24	24	14 crop nutrient technologies, including biological sources
25	25	15 of nitrogen, are growing in popularity and proving an
26	26	16 effective tool for managing fertilizer loss while
27	27	17 maximizing yields in the State of Illinois. Such
28	28	18 strategies and technologies can help farmers maximize
29	29	19 productivity while reducing nitrate leaching and runoff
30	30	20 and subsequent negative environmental impacts.
31	31	21 (3) Therefore, a nitrogen reduction incentive program
32	32	22 should be established in this State. This program should
33	33	23 cost $5,000,000 in its first year and renew annually for
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37	37	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2745 Introduced , by Rep. Jay Hoffman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
38	38	New Act New Act
39	39	New Act
40	40	Creates the Nitrogen Reduction Program Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Agriculture shall, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources and soil and water conservation districts in the State, develop a nitrogen reduction incentive program by January 1, 2026 for the purpose of addressing water quality issues. Provides that the program will include a per-acre payment rate of not less than $5 per acre. Provides that crop management records collected from farmers shall be considered confidential. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
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43	43	A BILL FOR
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68	68	1 at least 4 years in order to accomplish the goals of the
69	69	2 General Assembly.
70	70	3 Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
71	71	4 "Commercial nitrogen fertilizer" means fertilizer with a
72	72	5 nitrogen content of no less than 25%.
73	73	6 "Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
74	74	7 "Fertilizer" means any substance containing one or more of
75	75	8 plant nutrients that is used for its plant nutrient content
76	76	9 and is designed for use or claimed to have value in promoting
77	77	10 plant growth. "Fertilizer" does not include unmanipulated
78	78	11 animal and vegetable manures, sea solids, marl, lime,
79	79	12 limestone, wood ashes, and other products excluded by rule of
80	80	13 the Department.
81	81	14 "Plant nutrient" means nitrogen, phosphate, potash, or any
82	82	15 other nutrient used in accordance with 8 Ill. Adm. Code 210.
83	83	16 Section 15. Nitrogen reduction incentive program.
84	84	17 (a) In consultation with the Department of Natural
85	85	18 Resources and Illinois soil and water conservation districts,
86	86	19 the Department shall develop a nitrogen reduction incentive
87	87	20 program by January 1, 2026, to further address water quality
88	88	21 by incentivizing Illinois farmers to improve nitrogen
89	89	22 management and incorporate innovative technologies into their
90	90	23 crop nutrient management plans. The Department shall determine
91	91	24 the scope of qualifying products, fertilizers with nitrogen
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102	102	1 fixing properties, biological sources of nitrogen, and other
103	103	2 biofertilizers. The Department shall administer the program.
104	104	3 The program shall provide an annual per-acre incentive for
105	105	4 qualifying farmers who verify through documentation that
106	106	5 commercial nitrogen fertilizer rates were reduced by the
107	107	6 lesser of (i) 15% or (ii) 30 pounds per acre by incorporating a
108	108	7 qualifying product, as determined by the Department, in the
109	109	8 farmer's fertility plans. A commercial nitrogen fertilizer
110	110	9 rate reduction from historic baseline use shall be required to
111	111	10 qualify for the program.
112	112	11 (b) The Department shall review at least once during the
113	113	12 life of the nitrogen reduction incentive program: (1) the
114	114	13 required minimum commercial nitrogen fertilizer rate of
115	115	14 reduction for the program to determine if higher reduction
116	116	15 targets are warranted; and (2) additional qualifying products,
117	117	16 accounting for newly available technologies and products
118	118	17 capable of reducing commercial nitrogen fertilizer
119	119	18 applications for inclusion in the program.
120	120	19 (c) The Department shall keep the nitrogen reduction
121	121	20 incentive program open to all farmers in this State. The
122	122	21 Department shall adopt rules that establish a standard for
123	123	22 labeled products to qualify for the incentive program.
124	124	23 (d) In consultation with farmers and the agriculture
125	125	24 industry, a per-acre payment rate, not less than $5 per acre,
126	126	25 shall be established by the Department, and the Department
127	127	26 shall periodically review the rates based on inflation or
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138	138	1 emerging technology in subsequent years. Payments shall be
139	139	2 distributed to qualifying entities once nitrogen reduction
140	140	3 incentive program requirements are met. The nitrogen reduction
141	141	4 incentive program established under this Section shall renew
142	142	5 annually for 4 years.
143	143	6 (e) The Department shall adopt rules to implement this
144	144	7 Act.
145	145	8 (f) This Section is subject to appropriation.
146	146	9 Section 20. Confidential Records. The crop management
147	147	10 records collected from farmers, including, but not limited to,
148	148	11 field boundaries, crop yields, or nitrogen rates, shall be
149	149	12 used solely for implementation of this Act and shall be
150	150	13 considered confidential records.
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