Upon the acceptance of each plan by the secretary of agriculture and his or her approval of each plan, the department is authorized and empowered to accept and receive all grants of money made pursuant to the soil conservation and domestic allotment act, for the purpose of enabling the state to carry out the provisions of that plan. All those moneys, together with any moneys which may be appropriated by the state, shall be paid into a special fund in the state treasury to be known as the agricultural soil conservation program fund. That fund is established, and is available to the department for expenditures necessary in carrying out the plan, including administration expenses, expenditures in connection with educational programs and research programs in aid of the plan, and for benefit payments.