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HB4922 • 2026
EMERGING FARMER GRANT PROGRAM
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
EMERGING FARMER GRANT PROGRAM
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Ram Villivalam
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes
Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura M. Murphy
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. David Koehler
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Appropriations
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Mattie Hunter
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments
Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 22, 2026
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Napoleon Harris, III
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Karina Villa
Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 15, 2026
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Porfirio
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Rachel Ventura
Assigned to Appropriations
Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Mattie Hunter
Arrive in Senate
Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading
Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. David Koehler
First Reading
Referred to Assignments
House Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Sonya M. Harper
House Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee
Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 077-019-000
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lisa Davis
Fiscal Note Filed
Second Reading - Short Debate
Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Justin Slaughter
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Yolonda Morris
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Edgar González, Jr.
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Maurice A. West, II
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael Crawford
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. La Shawn K. Ford
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Joyce Mason
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Norma Hernandez
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lilian Jiménez
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Rita Mayfield
Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Justin Slaughter
Removed Co-Sponsor Rep. Justin Slaughter
Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.
Removed Co-Sponsor Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.
Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicholas K. Smith
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Camille Y. Lilly
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. William "Will" Davis
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Thaddeus Jones
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Mary Beth Canty
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicolle Grasse
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Anne Stava
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin
Fiscal Note Requested by Rep. Patrick Windhorst
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernandez
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Kam Buckner
Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Sharon Chung
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Sonya M. Harper
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
Do Pass / Short Debate Agriculture & Conservation Committee ; 006-003-000
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Tabled
Assigned to Agriculture & Conservation Committee
First Reading
Referred to Rules Committee
Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Sonya M. Harper
EMERGING FARMER GRANT PROGRAM
Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4922 Select Language × The Illinois General Assembly offers the Google Translate™ service for visitor convenience. In no way should it be considered accurate as to the translation of any content herein. Visitors of the Illinois General Assembly website are encouraged to use other translation services available on the internet. The English language version is always the official and authoritative version of this website. NOTE: To return to the original English language version, select the "Show Original" button on the Google Translate™ menu bar at the top of the window. 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Full Text of HB4922 Home Legislation Full Text HB4922 - 104th General Assembly Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Select Menu Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Printer Friendly Version Introduced Engrossed House Amendment 001 House Amendment 002 Senate Amendment 001 Printer Friendly Version Introduced Engrossed House Amendment 001 House Amendment 002 Senate Amendment 001 Open PDF HB4922 Engrossed LRB104 17466 BDA 30892 b 1 AN ACT concerning agriculture. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 3. Findings. The General Assembly finds that: 5 (1) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2021, the State of 6 Illinois appropriated funds to support socially 7 disadvantaged farmers, recognizing persistent barriers to 8 land access, capital, infrastructure, and market 9 participation. 10 (2) A portion of those appropriations has remained 11 unexpended across multiple fiscal years, limiting the 12 intended impact of those funds. 13 (3) Emerging and socially disadvantaged farmers 14 continue to face systemic and structural barriers that 15 constrain agricultural production, business viability, and 16 participation in local and regional food systems. 17 (4) Deploying these unexpended funds through a 18 flexible, accessible grant program administered by the 19 Illinois Department of Agriculture will strengthen 20 Illinois' agricultural economy, advance equity, and 21 improve food security across urban, suburban, and rural 22 communities. 23 Section 5. The Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil HB4922 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 17466 BDA 30892 b 1 Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2 205-455 as follows: 3 (20 ILCS 205/205-455 new) 4 Sec. 205-455. Emerging and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers 5 Infrastructure and Market Access Grant Program. 6 (a) In this Section: 7 "Eligible applicant" means an emerging farmer, a socially 8 disadvantaged farmer, or a farm entity primarily owned, 9 controlled, or governed by one or more emerging or socially 10 disadvantaged farmers and operating or proposing to operate 11 within Illinois. 12 "Emerging farmer" means a farmer or aspiring farmer who is 13 a member of or represents one or more of the following groups: 14 (1) women; 15 (2) veterans; 16 (3) persons with disabilities; 17 (4) American Indian or Alaska Native persons; 18 (5) members of communities of color; 19 (6) young persons; 20 (7) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, 21 intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA+) persons; 22 (8) urban farmers; or 23 (9) any other emerging farmers as determined by the 24 Director to further the purposes of this Section. 25 "Infrastructure" means facilities, improvements, and HB4922 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 17466 BDA 30892 b 1 systems necessary for agricultural production and market 2 access, including land preparation, on-farm utilities, 3 post-harvest handling, processing, storage, aggregation, and 4 distribution. 5 "Social disadvantage" means diminished opportunity and 6 disproportionate barriers to entering, operating, sustaining, 7 or expanding a farm business that are reasonably linked to 8 such discrimination and not solely attributable to individual 9 business decisions. 10 "Socially disadvantaged farmer" means an individual farmer 11 or aspiring farmer who has experienced, or whose farming 12 operation has experienced, social disadvantage as a result of 13 systemic or chronic discrimination or bias in access to land, 14 credit, capital, insurance, technical assistance, education, 15 training, markets, or participation in public or private 16 agricultural programs, on the basis of one or more of the 17 following actual or perceived characteristics: race, color, 18 ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, sex, pregnancy or 19 childbirth-related status, sexual orientation, gender identity 20 or expression, religion, age, disability, marital or familial 21 status, or immigration or citizenship status. 22 (b) The Department shall establish and administer the 23 Emerging and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Infrastructure and 24 Market Access Grant Program to provide grants to eligible 25 applicants for the purpose of increasing agricultural 26 production, strengthening farm viability, and expanding access HB4922 Engrossed - 4 - LRB104 17466 BDA 30892 b 1 to markets within the State. 2 (c) This Program is subject to appropriation, which may 3 include appropriations equivalent to the amounts that were 4 appropriated but not expended in Fiscal Years 2021, 2022, 5 2023, 2024, and 2025 for emerging or socially disadvantaged 6 farmers. 7 (d) Grant funds may be used for, but are not limited to: 8 (1) capital and infrastructure improvements; 9 (2) equipment and supply purchases; 10 (3) operational and working capital expenses; and 11 (4) market access, aggregation, transportation, and 12 distribution expenses. 13 (e) The Department shall establish grant award tiers and 14 shall not require matching funds. Priority shall be given to 15 applicants who: 16 (1) have not previously received State agricultural 17 grants; 18 (2) operate small-scale or limited-resource farm 19 operations; 20 (3) demonstrate barriers consistent with the 21 definition of socially disadvantaged farmer; and 22 (4) propose projects that increase food production, 23 create jobs, or expand access to Illinois-grown products. 24 (f) The Department shall adopt rules to implement and 25 administer this Section. These rules may allow eligibility 26 verification through self-attestation or other reasonable HB4922 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 17466 BDA 30892 b 1 methods. 2 (g) The Department shall submit an annual report to the 3 General Assembly detailing grant awards, expenditures, and 4 program outcomes. 5 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 6 2026. 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