On Wednesday, 19 different organizations received a share of 1.8 million dollars in Local Food infrastructure grant funding through the Illinois Stewardship Alliance.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — On Wednesday, 19 different organizations received a share of 1.8 million dollars in Local Food infrastructure grant funding through the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. 

This is the first time these grants have been provided, and organizers say they came from an increase in need for projects and organizations working to feed their communities. These programs include: 

  • Down at the Farms in Fairbury and throughout central Illinois. They are receiving $110,00 to purchase a delivery vehicle and expand cooler and freezer space to better deliver central Illinois produce to chefs and grocers.
  • Allen's Farm Quality Meats in Homer and serving Champaign and Danville. They are receiving $150,000 to increase the capacity to process meats and reduce current wait times of 12 to 18 months. 
  • Living Light Farms in Paxton. They are receiving $43,800 to purchase a mobile freezer and truck so they can transport products to the community.

"Right now if you look at Illinois, 95% of our food is brought in from outside and that means ... trucking food thousands of miles away, when we have the richest, fertile farmland anywhere in the world right here in our state," said Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria). "This gives is a source of local and fresh food, whether it's from farm to farmer's markets, to schools, or to farming communities." 

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The change will also help tackle food deserts across the state by empowering communities to take charge of feeding themselves. Several of the programs help urban communities build gardens in their neighborhoods, and distribute them. Organizers say this has to happen because many communities can't keep small grocery stores in business. 

"One of the major challenges we see is the consolidation of the food system and the competitiveness or lack thereof pricing for local food producers," said Josh Snedden, Grant Program Coordinator for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. "When an individual shops at a large corporate grocer, typically only 40 cents of every dollar stays in the community.

For a complete list of grant recipients and for information on the grant, head to this link.

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