AG-FALL COVERS SPRING SAVINGS

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB5512

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5512

Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 205/205-455 new
30 ILCS 105/5.1038 new

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Fall
Covers for Spring Savings Program in the Department of Agriculture to
provide crop insurance premium discounts for cover crops. Directs the
Department to award grants in specified amounts to Soil and Water
Conservation Districts. Creates the Cover Crop Insurance Premium Discount
Fund. Provides for requirements for the Program. Directs the Department to
adopt rules.
LRB104 20018 BDA 33469 b

A BILL FOR

HB5512
LRB104 20018 BDA 33469 b
1

AN ACT concerning State government.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil
5
Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section
6
205-455 as follows:

7

(20 ILCS 205/205-455 new)
8

Sec. 205-455.
Fall covers for spring savings.
9

(a) The General Assembly finds that:
10

(1) Soil is an essential natural resource and Illinois
11

farmers and professionals play a critical role in managing
12

Illinois soil and water resources.
13

(2) The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the
14

United States Department of Agriculture defines soil
15

health as the continued capacity of soil to function as a
16

vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and
17

humans.
18

(3) The protection of Illinois soils is essential to
19

long-term prosperity and sustainability of the soil and
20

water resources of our State.
21

(4) Soil health principles of cover crop coverage
22

enhance the ability of farmers to meet the non-point
23

source pollution goals for nitrate-nitrogen and phosphorus

HB5512
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LRB104 20018 BDA 33469 b
1

reduction.
2

(5) Soil health principles reduce carbon dioxide in
3

the atmosphere through sequestration of carbon within the
4

upper soil profile. This process improves organic matter
5

content, provides a stable biome for soil organisms,
6

improves nutrient transfer from soil to root, and
7

increases water infiltration and water-holding capacity.
8

(6) It is imperative that the State of Illinois
9

actively raise awareness of the importance of soil health
10

and promote its stewardship to safeguard this resource for
11

future generations of Illinois citizens.
12

(b) There is created the Fall Covers for Spring Savings
13
Program within the Department of Agriculture. This program
14
shall be the successor program of any program currently in
15
place that offers crop insurance discounts for cover crop
16
incorporation. The program shall offer a crop insurance policy
17
premium discount of up to $5 per acre for every acre planted in
18
cover crop in a calendar year that is insured in the following
19
calendar year for crop production. For every $5 expenditure
20
that is made under this Program, the Department shall grant $1
21
to Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the State.
22

(c) There is created in the State treasury a special fund
23
to be known as the Cover Crop Insurance Premium Discount Fund
24
for the purpose of receiving and distributing money in
25
accordance with this Section. Disbursements from the Fund
26
shall be made in accordance with this Section, including for

HB5512
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LRB104 20018 BDA 33469 b
1
the Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program and the grants to
2
Soil and Water Conservation Districts under subsection (b),
3
for any other expenditure or distribution under this Section,
4
and for no other purpose. In addition to any other amounts
5
deposited into the Fund through action by the General
6
Assembly, there shall be deposited into the Fund any residual
7
federal funds that can be used for the purpose of the Program
8
and all moneys donated to the State by private individuals or
9
entities for the purposes for which the moneys in the Fund may
10
be used.
11

(d) The number of acres receiving the discount under the
12
Program under this Section shall be limited only by available
13
funding from State, federal, and private sources contained in
14
the Cover Crop Insurance Premium Discount Fund.
15

(e) The Department may use a portion of funding allocated
16
to the Cover Crop Insurance Premium Discount Fund for the
17
purpose of administering the provisions of this Section.
18

(f) The application period for receiving the crop
19
insurance premium discount shall commence the first week of
20
December and continue through the end of January of the
21
following calendar year or until available funds are depleted,
22
whichever comes first. The Department may change the
23
application period by rule.
24

(g) Premium discounts shall be awarded from available
25
funds on a first-come, first-served basis.
26

(h) Applicants to the program shall submit Farm Service

HB5512
- 4 -
LRB104 20018 BDA 33469 b
1
Agency Form 578, Report on Acreage, or its successor document,
2
the crop insurance policy number, the field, farm, tract,
3
common land unit numbers, and field acres seeded in cover
4
crops the previous year. The Department may change applicant
5
submission requirements by rule.
6

(i) Applicants shall maintain documentation of cover crop
7
utilization, including, but not limited to, seeding dates,
8
appropriate seeding rates, and seed mix. The Department may
9
contact applicants to clarify information contained in any
10
application. The Department may change applicant documentation
11
requirements by rule.
12

(j) The Department may not consider the participation of
13
the applicant in any federal or private program concerning
14
conservation, nutrient loss, or carbon sequestration when
15
considering applicants and their applications for
16
participation in the program.
17

(k) The Department shall adopt rules implementing and
18
administering this Section.

19

Section 10.
The State Finance Act is amended by adding
20
Section 5.1038 as follows:

21

(30 ILCS 105/5.1038 new)
22

Sec. 5.1038.
The Cover Crop Insurance Premium Discount
23
Fund.

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