Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy
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Illinois consumers spend $48 billion annually on ood. The lion’s share o their expendituresleave the state. To reduce this drain on our economy, public, private, and civic sectors mustwork together to build a arm and ood system that meets consumer demand or “local”ood. The popularity o armers markets is a measure o consumer demand that now reachesinto large-volume wholesale markets. Currently, Illinois colleges and universities, corporatekitchens, schools, hospitals, museums, restaurants and grocery stores are unable to procureadequate supplies o products grown and marketed by Illinois armers. The same is true o Illinois’ “ood deserts”—pockets o scarcity that extend rom inner-city neighborhoods torural communities. Meeting this demand will require construction o a supply chain thatshortens the geographic distance between the arm gate and ood plate, thus ensuring thatIllinois ood and arm products are made readily available or all consumers statewide.This report shows how the state o Illinois can acilitate development o a local ood systemthat complements the existing global arm and ood system. It refects the work o the 32-member Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force which was created by theIllinois General Assembly through the Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Act o 2007. This lawauthorized ormation o the Task Force to develop a plan containing policy and undingrecommendations or expanding and supporting a statewide local arm and ood system.The Task Force encourages Illinois’ rural, urban, and suburban communities to cooperatestatewide to develop local arm production, inrastructure, customer access, and publiceducation. Both beginning and transitioning armers need agronomic training, businessplanning, land, labor, equipment, and nancing. Entrepreneurs need to build Illinois-based supply chains capable o delivering large volumes o Illinois arm products to in-state markets. Farmers and other entrepreneurs need assurances that market outletsare ready, willing, and able to buy their products. Public awareness campaigns need topersuade consumers, businesses, and policymakers how they will benet rom helpingto increase the volume and value o Illinois branded ood and arm products. Childrenneed to be taught the connection between healthy ood, exercise, wellness, and learning.Implementation o this plan makes it easible or 20 percent o Illinois ood expenditures tobe grown, processed and distributed in-state by 2020.The Illinois General Assembly can oster this arm-based local economic developmentby approving new legislation that (1) directs state agencies to align their missions tosupport this strategy or economic development, public health, and ood security; (2)supports the Local Foods Initiative o University o Illinois Extension; (3) Encouragesstate institutions to procure at least 20% o their ood locally by 2020; (4) assembles ateam to eliminate regulatory barriers restricting local ood production and marketing,(5) creates the Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council which will be commissionedto acilitate local arm and ood system development statewide. Passage o this legislationwill accelerate countless initiatives at the local, regional, and state level to promotecommunity revitalization throughout Illinois.
Executive Summary
A Report to the Illinois General AssemblyBy The Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force
March 2009
T i r t w h I i c n f c v t a o c l f o d s t c m p h e i g g b l f d f o d s .
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