What does state budget mean for ag?

A $55.2 billion state budget was approved late Saturday night by the Illinois General Assembly.

This was an increase of $2.1 billion over the $53.1 billion FY25 budget. This one included $1.02 billion in tax increases and fund sweeps, according to the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Not included in this year’s budget was the Family Farm Preservation Act. A critical tax benefit for biodiesel was preserved, known as the Biodiesel Sales Tax Exemption.

Illinois Farm Bureau was also successful in helping to pass legislation providing opportunities for landowners to manage deer populations on their property and help minimize the damage deer cause on crops across the state.