LaHood, Bustos Announce $4.5 Million in Funding for Peoria Ag Lab Secured in Appropriations Legislation

[June 26, 2021] 

Friday, Representatives Darin LaHood (IL-18) and Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced that, at their request, $4.5 million in funding for a climate resilience and biomanufacturing initiative at Peoria’s Ag Lab has been included in the House Appropriations Committee’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies legislation.

“The Peoria Ag Lab is a vital part of our community, and the cutting-edge research the Ag Lab performs has a global impact,” said Congressman LaHood. “Construction of a research greenhouse will foster new economic opportunities for rural communities in Illinois and foster work on science related to the sustainability of food and energy production. I am proud of the continued bipartisan work with Congresswoman Bustos to advocate on behalf of the Ag Lab, and I look forward to working to ensure the staff at the Ag Lab can continue to be at the forefront of agricultural research for generations to come.”

“Right now, we have an incredible opportunity to rebuild our country, create millions of good-paying jobs in our communities and invest in agricultural research as we build our communities back, better,” Congresswoman Bustos said. “I’m thrilled to announce that $4.5 million in funding for Peoria Ag Lab’s groundbreaking research initiatives has been included in this legislative package. Today’s announcement is the next step in the process to make this project a reality, and I look forward to working with my colleagues as we continue to bring taxpayer funds back to our communities.”

Representatives LaHood and Bustos submitted the request to initiate novel research programs to develop and utilize crops that improve the climate resilience and sustainability of food and energy production, foster new economic opportunities for rural communities and biomanufacturing industries and enhance the safety and security of the food supply. This initiative has three major components developed in response to specific stakeholder and national needs focused on wheat and barley, sorghum and industrial hemp.

Implementation of this stakeholder driven research requires the construction of a climate-controlled greenhouse and addition of scientists and staff across four research units at the Peoria Ag Lab working under USDA-ARS National Programs for Food Safety (NP108) and Product Quality and New Uses (NP306).

After being submitted by Representatives LaHood and Bustos, the proposal will now advance to the committee mark-up process. The legislation would then need to advance to the full House and Senate before being brought to the President’s desk for consideration.

[Congressman Darin LaHood]