Yesterday, faculty from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign spoke as invited witnesses to an Illinois House Agriculture and Conservation Committee hearing on the impacts of the USDA funding freeze, tariffs, and the delayed Farm Bill on Illinois agriculture.

Shelly Nickols-Richardson, associate dean and director of Illinois Extension, and Jonathan Coppess, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, joined officials from Illinois government agencies, Illinois commodity groups, farm advocacy organizations, food policy and community service groups, and farmers to underscore the importance of USDA support, including Smith-Lever and SNAP - Education funds, to Illinois communities. 

“Illinois Extension depends on USDA support for 43% of its budget, with 19% from Smith-Lever and 23% from SNAP-Ed,” Nickols-Richardson said. “Reductions would shift the burden onto state and local resources and significantly disrupt program delivery across Illinois’ 102 counties.”

She added that Extension puts USDA funds to use directly in Illinois communities to support educators, coordinators, and staff, as well as critical initiatives like farmdoc, 4-H youth programs, Annie’s Project for women in agriculture, urban and rural farming initiatives, pesticide safety, farm mental health, and conservation efforts. Illinois Extension also assists state agencies by implementing programs such as IL-EATS and school nutrition training.

“These programs equip farmers, families, and communities with essential knowledge and practical solutions,” Nickols-Richardson said.

A recent economic analysis of Illinois Extension showed a 10-to-1 return on investment, which means that reductions in funding result in a ten-fold reduction in economic benefits for communities across the state. Nickols-Richardson concluded by urging the committee to support USDA funding to maintain Titles IV (nutrition) and VII (research and extension) of the Farm Bill to ensure continued education, innovation, and economic resilience for Illinois communities. 

In a panel on food policy and community services, Coppess highlighted the very real challenges beyond the headlines.  

“There’s too much focus on large, topline budget numbers at the expense of those who are impacted,” Coppess said. “For example, with respect to tariffs, there’s a difference between large companies that can absorb some loss and smaller farmers who might be devastated.”

He also noted the importance of considering both the near- and far-term impacts of tariffs and other changes in federal policies. “These things play out over time, with tariffs damaging trade markets and trust. Breaching contracts does the same.”

Over two dozen witnesses provided testimony before the session wrapped. The subject matter hearing was not tied to a specific bill before the Illinois legislature, and some representatives expressed an inability to act on federal matters. A spokesperson for committee vice-chair Representative Mary Gill said the Agriculture and Conservation Committee will deliberate to determine whether and how to move forward.