Support Your Local Food Non-Profits
Our local food community benefits in so many ways from the work of non-profit organizations. I know this first person, having just wrapped up nearly seven years with FamilyFarmed, a Chicago non-profit that has been a longtime catalyst for growth in the region’s Good Food sector.
At least once each week, Local Food Forum will feature programs and events from our great non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Crowdsourcing alert: If you work with or support a non-profit organization and know of an event that should be on the list, please contact bob@localfoodforum.org
— Bob
Illinois Stewardship Alliance Week of Action
Beginning Monday! Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s virtual legislative Week of Action begins Monday (April 19) and runs through Thursday (April 22).
The Alliance is a nonprofit that promotes the interests of local farmers and is our community’s foremost representative to the state legislature in Springfield. According to their website, “Throughout the week, we’ll provide you with easy opportunities to learn about the issues, take action, and join forces with farmers and food lovers in your community and throughout the state.”
The event supports the legislation on ISA’s 2021 Policy Agenda (the following includes the Alliance’s descriptions):
• Home-to-Market Act: House Bill 2615 aims to reform the state’s cottage food laws. “Cottage foods are prepared and packaged in a home kitchen. Cottage food operators want to sell their products at fairs and festivals, at home, through delivery, and through shipping to meet the growing demand for their products, but current regulations limit sales to seasonal farmers markets… Reforming cottage food law will provide more entrepreneurs, especially women, minority, and low-income entrepreneurs, a means to start or grow a home-based food business while also giving shoppers greater access to delicious Illinois made products.”
• Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act: House Bill 1792 and Senate Bill 2474 would extend the Partners for Conservation Fund, one of Illinois’ largest funds supporting conservation efforts, which is scheduled to expire this summer. “The Act seeks to do two main actions: 1) extend the funding to 2027 and 2) add a new purpose in order to use funds to administer and implement the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy’s 2025 milestone to reduce nitrogen in Illinois waters by 15% and Phosphorous by 25%. Illinois is THE leading state in nutrient pollution that flows into the Mississippi River, and we are already two centuries away from reaching our Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Goals. The loss of conservation funding will put Illinois even further behind.”
• SNAP Match for Farmers Markets Bill: House Bill 2520 “calls for a $500,000 state investment to match Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) sales at farmers markets through the ‘Double Value Coupon Program’. The program doubles the purchasing power of our most vulnerable populations to afford healthy local produce, while also incentivizing them to spend their SNAP dollars with Illinois farms, keeping federal SNAP dollars in our state, supporting local farms and growing the local economy… The program has existed as a line item in the budget since 2016, but no funds have ever been appropriated.”
• Good Food Purchasing Policy Resolution: “In 2017, the City of Chicago passed a resolution to adopt the Good Food Purchasing Policy (GFPP) that transforms the ways agencies purchase food by encouraging agencies and institutions to purchase food that meets 5 key criteria: local, fair, healthy, humane, and sustainable… In 2020, Illinois Stewardship Alliance worked with a coalition of organizations to pursue a first in the nation statewide GFPP, which could shift millions in state procurement to local producers and businesses. As a first step, the Coalition, including Chicago Food Policy Action Council, IEC, and Food Chain Workers Alliance will introduce a resolution to form a GFPP Task Force. The Task Force will assess the current state of procurement and market opportunities by Illinois state agencies and lay the groundwork for legislation that will focus on implementation of a statewide GFPP.”
To learn more about the Alliance’s Week of Action, please click the button below.
Hands-On Plant Medicine Learning TOMORROW
Black Oaks Center and Urban Growers Collective are presenting a three-hour plant medicine propagation workshop tomorrow (Saturday, April 17) from 2:00-5:00 p.m. central. The event will take place at the Black Oaks Center Eco Campus in Pembroke Township, Illinois (near Kankakee).
Attendees are requested to wear work attire and bring food and drink to share. To learn more and to register for free, click the button below.
Green City Market COVID-19 Farmer Relief Fund
Green City Market (GCM), a leader in Chicago’s local food movement, has launched a COVID-19 Farmer Relief Fund to help producers who were negatively affected by the economic downturn and uncertainties caused by the pandemic. GCM is seeking your donations and a donation match is in effect through April 30. Click the button below for more information and to contribute.
Angelic Organics Learning Center Walking Tours
The Angelic Organics Learning Center is a farmer training organization in Caledonia, Illinois — about 80 miles northwest of Chicago — and they invite you to their weekly walking tours of their farm on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m through May 26. Click below for more information.