New grant program available for ag businesses hit by COVID-19
PEORIA – $5 million in financial assistance will be available to livestock producers and small meat and poultry plants hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic via the Illinois Department of Agriculture, State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) announced Thursday.
Koehler, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, advocated on behalf of this initiative during last spring’s budget negotiations.
“The economic wellbeing of our state depends so heavily of the success of our farmers,” Koehler said. “It’s our job to ensure our farmers with the financial resources they need to continue putting food on the table of all Illinoisans.”
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced the processing of livestock throughout the state, which led to farmers holding animals for a longer period of time with further input costs and cancelled, delayed or reduced sales.
Financial assistance is available through three programs administered by the Dept. of Ag. Individuals and businesses are only eligible to apply for one program, and applicants located in a disproportionately impacted area will receive a 10% increase in funding. A list of DIA’s can be found on the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s website.
Online applications are available at agr.state.il.us. Applications will close on Oct. 31, 2020. Questions about this funding can be submitted to
