Allocation of funds

Allocation of funds. Appropriations for the purposes of this Act shall be made to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which shall allocate funds appropriated under this Act for research to Illinois public and non-public institutions of higher education, as defined in Section 2 of the Higher Education Cooperation Act, as established by the Board of Directors of the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research, which is a non-profit, non-political organization. The Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research shall prepare and deliver to the General Assembly, Governor, Director of Agriculture, and the food and agricultural research administrators at each of the public and non-public institutions of higher learning that receive research dollars under this Act an annual report providing a summary and detailed account of the research programs being supported. To offset the cost of administering the appropriation, the Department of Agriculture may retain $50,000 or 1/2 of 1% of the total appropriation, whichever is less. To offset the cost of members of C-FAR incurred while performing their duties as official group representatives, up to 1% of the funds appropriated for the purposes of this Act may be allocated by the Department of Agriculture to cover these expenses. Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The reimbursement rates shall not exceed those rates that apply to State employees. (Source: P.A. 97-879, eff. 8-2-12.)