Illinois AgriNews - June 2008
 
Developments in Local and Organic Food Production
Bryan Endres
Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Although Illinois ranks fourth nationally in the value of agricultural commodity exports, it ranks fifth in the loss of farmland. The average food item consumed in the state travels more than 1,500 miles before landing on a dinner plate and less than five percent of the organic food sold in Illinois was grown and/or processed within the state. The recent salmonella outbreak in tomatoes illustrates the vulnerability of long food supply chains for products capable of local sourcing. To counter these trends, the legislature created the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force as part of the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act (FFJA).
Thirty-two appointed individuals from a wide range of backgrounds--from farmers to chefs to civil leaders--comprise the Task Force charged with the primary goal of evaluating the financial and technical feasibility of increasing access to organic and locally grown food. The Act's other objectives include job creation, increased marketing opportunities, and retention of food dollars within the state. Task Force recommendations are due to the legislature by September 30, 2008.
The Task Force commenced monthly meetings in January 2008 to discuss a wide range of issues including the economic, environmental, health, and security benefits of locally grown food. Listening sessions held around the state solicited feedback from community members, farmers, and retailers. Some of the producer-generated proposals include creation of new crop insurance programs, tax incentives for local value-added products, and strategies to reduce labor costs.
Although the FFJA is one of the first state-wide legislative initiatives of its kind in the US , it is not the first Illinois effort at facilitating local food markets. Illinois Market Maker ( www.marketmaker.uiuc.edu ), established in 2004, is a collaborative effort by the University of Illinois Extension and others to link producers and consumers through shared marketing information. Via the website, producers can identify potential markets for their products based on demographic information, and buyers (such as restaurants or institutions) can find local products using various search terms.
Another website designed to encourage the sale of Illinois food products is www.directfarmbusiness.org . Funded in-part by a grant from the Illinois Bar Foundation, it provides basic legal information to farmers interested in selling directly to consumers. Legal topics range from selecting a business type, to compliance with various operational permits and product regulations. Each variation of a direct farm marketing operation implicates different legal concerns, which the website identifies and summarizes.
One hundred years ago there were a quarter million farms in the state of Illinois . Today, there are about 73,000. With half of Illinois farmers projected to retire within the next two decades, providing locally grown food products to the people of Illinois presents both a challenge and opportunity. The efforts of the Task Force and public support for programs to improve the state's infrastructure for local and organic foods could transform Illinois into a national leader in this area while retaining food dollars in the local economy.
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