CENTRAL ILLINOIS LOCAL FOODS LISTENING SESSION

Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act of 2007

 Members of the Governors’ Task Force will be at the ILLINOIS SUSTAINABLE LIVING & WELLNESS EXPO to ask for your opinion and gather your input.

This is your chance to tell the Illinois Governor and General Assembly why local food is important to you and to our community.

 WHERE: The Shirk Center, Illinois Wesleyan University, 302 Emerson
Shirk South Classroom

WHEN: 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11, 2008

ADMISSION TO THE LISTENING SESSION IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!

ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On April 11, 2008, Central Illinois residents will have an opportunity to tell the Illinois legislature how an Illinois-based food system could benefit them – and share their ideas for building a stronger local food system here in our community.

In 2007, the Governor and Illinois legislature took action to determine what it would take to build an Illinois-based food system.  By an overwhelming majority, the Illinois General Assembly commissioned a Task Force charged with developing a plan to ensure Illinois farmers grow more of the food we eat. The Task Force, which was appointed by the Governor, is creating a vision for a comprehensive Illinois-based food system – covering the entire process from farm to fork.

The Task Force is now holding “listening sessions” to gather input from consumers, farmers, and others throughout the state for their report, which will be submitted to the legislature by September 30, 2008. Out of the report, the chief sponsors of the original act, Rep. Julie Hamos and Sen. Jacqueline Collins, will craft additional legislation for the 2009 General Assembly, laying out policy and appropriations to ensure:

• Illinois has all of the components needed for a successful a local food system -- affordable farmland, an adequate number of diversified farmers, complete infrastructure (processing plants, storage, distribution networks), as well as convenient retail access in ALL Illinois communities, urban and rural.
  
• All of these components are interconnected and working together to supply Illinois citizens with Illinois-grown food. 
  

This session will be facilitated by Task Force members, including Task Force Coordinators Debbie Hillman and Jim Braun. They specifically want to know how work in local foods could be made easier if certain state policies existed and/or some grant money was available.  Here are some specific questions they would like to address:

• What parts of a complete local food system are missing in Central Illinois (e.g., small grocery stores, good restaurants, farmland preservation policies, direct markets for small farmers, distribution networks for small farmers, processing facilities)? 
  
• What are the assets we already have (e.g., a strong farming community, vibrant farmers’ markets)? 
  
• What solutions do we see plugging the holes?  What obstacles exist in implementing those solutions? 
  
• What local projects would benefit from seed money to get started
  and/or to grow stronger roots?

Review THE FOOD, FARMS, AND JOBS ACT here: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/95/PDF/095-0145.pdf

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