Illinois consumers spend $48 billion annually on food. Nearly all of this money leaves the state. To retain a larger share of Illinois food dollars, public, private, and civic sectors must work together to build a farm and food system that meets consumer demand for “local” food. The popularity of farmers markets is a measure of consumer demand that now reaches into large-volume wholesale markets. Currently, Illinois colleges and universities, corporate kitchens, schools, hospitals, museums, restaurants and grocery stores are unable to procure adequate supplies of products grown and marketed by Illinois farmers. The same is true of Illinois’ “food deserts”—pockets of scarcity that extend from inner-city neighborhoods to rural communities. Meeting this demand will require construction of a supply chain that shortens the geographic distance between the farm gate and food plate, thus ensuring that Illinois food and farm products are made readily available for all consumers statewide.
This report shows how the state of Illinois can facilitate development of a local food system that complements the existing global farm and food system. It reflects the work of the 32-member Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force which was created by the Illinois General Assembly through the Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Act of 2007. This law authorized formation of the Task Force to develop a plan containing policy and funding recommendations for expanding and supporting a statewide local farm and food system.
The Task Force encourages Illinois’ rural, urban, and suburban communities to cooperate statewide to develop local farm production, infrastructure, customer access, and public education. Both beginning and transitioning farmers need agronomic training, business planning, land, labor, equipment, and financing. Entrepreneurs need to build Illinois-based supply chains capable of delivering large volumes of Illinois farm products to in-state markets. Farmers and other entrepreneurs need assurances that market outlets are ready, willing, and able to buy their products. Public awareness campaigns need to persuade consumers, businesses, and policymakers how they will benefit from helping to increase the volume and value of Illinois branded food and farm products. Children need to be taught the connection between healthy food, exercise, wellness, and learning. Implementation of this plan makes it feasible for 20 percent of Illinois food expenditures to be grown, processed and distributed in-state by 2020.
The Illinois General Assembly can foster this farm-based local economic development by approving new legislation that (1) directs state agencies to align their missions to support this strategy for job creation, public health, and food security; (2) supports the Local Foods Initiative of University of Illinois Extension; (3) Encourages state institutions to procure at least 20% of their food locally by 2020; (4) assembles a team to eliminate regulatory barriers restricting local food production and marketing, (5) creates the Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council which will be commissioned to facilitate local farm and food system development statewide. Passage of this legislation will accelerate countless initiatives at the local, regional, and state level to promote community revitalization throughout Illinois.