IL Bill Seeks Fair Fees For Market Vendors
Plus, registration opens for March 7-11 Soil Health Week
In This Issue
• Illinois Bill Seeks Fee Fairness for Farmers Market Vendors
• Registration Open for Soil Health Week (March 7-11)
• Applications Open for Nature’s Farm Camp Teen Leadership Summit
IL Bill Seeks Fee Fairness For Market Vendors
Illinois Stewardship Alliance is spotlighting another of its 2022 state legislative priorities — this one affecting the farmers market vendors who are so much at the heart of Local Food Forum.
The Alliance urges support of the proposed Farmers Market Permit Act, which aims to establish consistent and fair regulation of the fees charged to vendors across Illinois’ many jurisdictions. The current regulatory patchwork has resulted in vendors paying much higher fees in some counties than in others.
Get the details in the Alliance’s release below.
________________
Two years ago, Ed and Lindsey Dubrick followed their dream to work with nature and be their own bosses on a small farm. They started DuChick Ranch, where they raise chickens, vegetables and fruit using sustainable practices.
Situated in rural Iroquois County, their farm is just an hour’s drive from Kankakee, Bloomington, Danville and Champaign.
But you can’t find their products at many of those farmers markets.
Existing county regulations make it a challenge for farmers like Ed and Lindsay to sell their products at farmers markets, and prevent you from having access to their amazing chicken.
You can help!
Ask your Senator to co-sponsor the Farmers Market Permit Act SB3838 sponsored by Senator Koehler.
Because of Illinois’ regulatory framework, it is more complicated and more expensive for farms like Ed and Lindsay to sell directly to customers at a farmers market than it is to sell to a grocery store or restaurant.
In order for Ed to sell his chicken to restaurants across the state, he must get a single wholesale license from the Illinois Department of Agriculture for $50. In order for Ed to sell his chicken at farmers markets across the state, he must get a permit in each county in which he vends and must pay a fee in every county. Some counties charge as much as $400!
The permitting process and fees vary widely between counties, creating a process that is incredibly difficult and expensive for Ed to navigate.
Ed, and hundreds of farmers just like him who sell meat, eggs, dairy and frozen foods, need fair and consistent regulations that improve farmers markets, small farm livelihood, and food access.
You can help support farmers like Ed and Lindsay by asking your legislator to co-sponsor the Farmers Market Permit Act SB3838.
Registration Open for Soil Health Week
Illinois Stewardship Alliance has also opened free registration for Soil Health Week, which will take place March 7-11. The highlight will be the Soil Health Summit on March 9, designated as Soil Health Day.
As Local Food Forum reported on January 24, building and reviving the health and vitality of our soils is the foundation of sustainable/organic/regenerative farming, amid abundant scientific evidence of the connections between good soil, good food and good health.
Soil Health Week is designed to engage the interest of eaters of all kinds, as well as those who are engaged fulltime in agriculture and food systems.
Applications Open for Teen Leadership Summit
In order for us to accelerate progress toward a better food system, it is essential to engage the interest of our younger eaters. That why I’m happy to share the Teen Leadership Summit presented by Nature’s Farm Camp, which is currently accepting applications from females aged 16-19 to explore issues of food, farming and justice from May 28-30.
Fifteen applicants will be selected for the Summit, which will take place at Angelic Organics Learning Center in Caledonia, east of Rockford in north-central Illinois.
More information below, followed by a link to apply.
_______________
Do you love great food? Want to spend time with friendly goats and discuss food security? Would you like to meet farmers and activists working on creating solutions to poverty, disease, climate change and racism? Want to explore how a diverse farm operates and gain leadership skills to bring back to your community empowered to advocate for positive change?
If Yes, then apply now for a chance to become a part of the Nature’s Farm Camp Teen Leadership Summit! Nature’s Farm Camp will choose 15 female Teens aged 16-19 from Chicago and beyond to explore issues of food, farming and justice. We'll spend 2.5 days on a farm harvesting, cooking and caring for animals while engaging in interactive workshops on food, wellness, leadership and making a difference.
Our spring summit happens May 28-30, 2022 at Angelic Organics Learning Center (100 miles NW of Chicago). The application is open to females aged 16-19 and the deadline is March 15, 2022.
Please share this information with the difference makers in your life.