HB3716 would direct the Illinois Department of Agriculture to establish a new grant program for farmers who agree to distribute healthy, free food to expectant mothers in need. The bill defines an “expectant mother in need” as a pregnant person whose household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, and it defines “farmer” and “farm” for purposes of the program. Grants could be awarded up to $250,000 per qualified applicant, but only if funds are appropriated and the Department adopts implementing rules.
The program is geographically limited: eligible recipients of the food must live in the same county as the farmer’s farm or in a municipality within 20 miles of the farm. The bill is framed as an agriculture-based nutrition assistance effort, using state grant funding to support local food distribution rather than creating a direct cash benefit or a statewide entitlement. It would add a new Section 205-455 to the Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
Impact
HB3716 would amend the Civil Administrative Code by adding a new statutory grant authority for the Department of Agriculture and would require rulemaking to administer the program. If funded, it would create a new state-administered grant mechanism for farmers and could affect how agricultural and maternal nutrition support programs are delivered in Illinois, particularly in rural or local-food contexts. The bill would not itself guarantee funding; its operation depends on legislative appropriation and departmental rules.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be presented in a supportive, public-benefit frame focused on maternal health, food access, and local agriculture. The sponsor’s approach suggests an effort to connect farmers with community nutrition needs. Because there is no recorded debate or vote history here, there is no documented opposition or support beyond the bill’s stated purpose.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be the use of state grant funds, the size of the grants, and the narrow geographic eligibility rules tying food recipients to a farmer’s county or a nearby municipality. Some may question whether the program duplicates existing food assistance or whether the Department of Agriculture is the appropriate agency to administer a maternal nutrition initiative. Others may focus on the income threshold, the definition of eligible recipients, and whether the program’s local-service model could leave out expectant mothers in need who live outside the specified radius.