Illinois Statutes Chapter 505. Agriculture § 75/5. Conversion of farmland to nonagricultural purposes; procedure

§ 5. Except as provided in the working agreement between the Director of Agriculture and each State agency listed in Section 3 of this Act, when any State agency participates in a State funded capital project which will lead to conversion of farmland to nonagricultural purposes, the agency shall deliver written notification of the project to the Director of the Department of Agriculture.

The Director of Agriculture shall determine whether the project is in compliance with the agency's policy statements and working agreements on farmland preservation and shall conduct a study of the agricultural impacts if the project is not in compliance.

No agency may commit State funds for land acquisition or construction unless it is provided for in an exception contained in that agency's working agreement or until the study of agricultural impacts has been completed by the Department of Agriculture.

If the Director of Agriculture determines that a study of the agricultural impacts is necessary, the Department of Agriculture shall complete the study within 30 days of written notification by a State agency that it is considering a project which will result in conversion of farmland to a nonagricultural purpose. If the study is not completed within 30 days that agency may proceed with its intended action without the benefit of the study.

A copy of any study of agricultural impacts made pursuant to this Section shall be submitted to the Governor, to the President and Minority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, to the Director of each State agency participating in the project, and to each member of the Inter-Agency Committee on Farmland Preservation.