PEORIA, Ill. – The future of Peoria’s Ag Lab appears to be bright.
17th District Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) announced this week funding for the lab, formally known as the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, is included in the fiscal year 2026 Agriculture Research Service budget.
Jobs and the lab’s future were in question after the Trump administration earlier this year proposed a 10% cut in the workforce at the lab, mostly probationary workers. A rally was held at the lab in March, with Sen. Dick Durbin (D), Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, and workers speaking out against the cuts.
AFGE Local 3247 President Ethan Roberts, which is the union that represents workers at the lab, says there was “uncertainty and fear” when the cuts were announced. He says that only grew when there was little to no communication from the USDA over what the cuts entailed. Roberts adds it’s a “boost to everyone’s spirits” that the “greatest adversary” in the executive branch believes in the work they do.
Roberts says the biggest factor in the reversal is an outpouring of support from farmers and growers going to bat for the lab.
“They came to our aid, they came running when we asked them to help us, and they made beautiful and huge quantities of letters of support that were all sent to the USDA,” Roberts said.
Roberts says the support was so much, they were asked to stop sending in letters at one point.
Roberts adds that there’s potential for growth at the Ag Lab, with some programs being shifted to the facility, but did not expand on which ones.
Sorensen says it’s a “huge win” for the area to keep the lab open for multiple reasons. He says it keeps jobs in the area, and the USDA understands how important the research done at the lab is.
Sorensen did criticize Republicans for what he says is not showing enough support for the facility, jobs, and science. He says he was more hopeful that Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap) would have fought for the jobs.
Roberts and Sorensen say the Ag Lab is not yet in the clear, as a final decision to fund the facility will be made by Congress. Sorensen claims the Trump administration wants to have private industry fund the research done at the lab, instead of funding it through the government.
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