Public Accountability Report Public Accountability Report

2025 Land and Water Resources
Mission Statement Promote the conservation and protection of Illinois' soil and water resources by providing financial and technical assistance to the 97-county soil and water conservation districts to work with rural and urban customers. Provide outreach to the public at large on natural resource conservation.
Program Goals and Objectives
  1. Provide timely and relevant technical and financial assistance to soil and water conservation districts.
    1. Increase number of projects approved.
    2. Increase total amount of money expended per year.
  2. Provide timely assistance upon receipt of request.
    1. Provide comprehensive, consistent, and clear requirements, policies, and procedures.
      1. Mitigate soil loss.
        1. Increase acres of conservation tillage applied statewide.
        2. Increase percentage of cropland meeting tolerable ("T") soil loss levels.
      Source of Funds Agricultural Premium Fund, Partners for Conservation Fund, Agriculture Federal Projects Fund Statutory Authority 70 ILCS 405/1 et seq.
      Fiscal Year 2026 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2025 Actual Fiscal Year 2025 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2024 Actual Fiscal Year 2023 Actual
      Input Indicators
      Total expenditures - all sources (in thousands) $ 45,057.0 $ 13,964.0 $ 22,313.0 $ 16,578.0 $ 15,360.0
      Total expenditures - state appropriated funds (in thousands) $ 45,057.0 $ 13,764.0 $ 22,313.0 $ 16,578.0 $ 15,360.0
      Average monthly full-time equivalents 23.0 12.5 15.0 12.0 19.0
      Output Indicators
      Conservation practices program projects approved 1,100 1,003 1,000 909.0 886.0
      Streambank stabilization restoration program projects approved 10.0 10.0 10.0 13.0 3.0
      Number of participants in workshops and courses 975.0 975.0 950.0 960.0 950.0
      Outcome Indicators
      State source cost share for conservation practices (in thousands) $ 2,800.0 $ 2,800.0 $ 2,800.0 $ 2,707.0 $ 107,500.0
      Dollars available per acre for conservation practices (in dollars) $ 0.12 $ 0.12 $ 0.12 $ 0.11 $ 0.51
      Average annual soil erosion rate (tons per acre per year) 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3
      Acres of farmland in conservation tillage 11,000,000 11,000,000 11,000,000 11,000,000 10,750,000
      Percentage of farmland in conservation tillage 52.00% 52.00% 52.00% 52.00% 51.00%
      Cropland meeting tolerable soil loss levels 17,000,000 17,000,000 17,000,000 17,000,000 17,000,000
      Percentage of acres meeting tolerable soil loss levels 80.00% 80.00% 80.00% 80.00% 80.00%
      Efficiency/Cost-Effectiveness Indicators
      Average cost per acre to attain compliance with "T" (in dollars) $ 74.50 $ 74.50 $ 74.50 $ 74.50 $ 74.50

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