Agricultural Property Services
The Agricultural Property Services office manages over 13,000 acres of endowment and non-endowment farmland for the University of Illinois System. Management of endowment farmland began when the first farmland was gifted in 1923. Endowment farm properties generate income to support the wishes of each farm's donor. Earnings generated by the endowment farms support research and student fellowships, scholarships, and loans.
Other activities supported by the endowment farms include the promotion of 4-H activities and the operation of the Allerton Park and Retreat Center. Non-endowment farms were typically obtained to support other activities, such as on‑farm research or the airport buffer required by the Federal Aviation Administration, where tillable acres need management in order to produce revenue to help defray the operation costs for that unit.