SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) — A bill that could strengthen local food economies was passed in the Illinois State Senate on Friday.
According to State Sen. Dave Koehler, who sponsored Senate Bill 3077, it will make food produced in Illinois more readily available on store shelves by creating the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act.
The act would provide grants to farms, food businesses, non-profits and local governments through the Illinois Department of Agriculture to amplify local food processing, collection and distribution in Illinois. said the Peoria Democrat.
“This initiative strengthens our food industry in a way that cultivates a stronger, more sustainable food system that benefits everyone,” Koehler said. “By bridging the gap from farm to table, we give our family farmers more opportunities to distribute their goods while making fresh produce available to our community.”
The bill would create a two-tiered grant system, with individual projects receiving grants from $1,000 to $75,000 and collaborative projects eligible for grants from $1,000 to $250,000.
Now that the bill will move to the House where it is sponsored by State Rep. Sonya M. Harper, a Chicago Democrat.
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April 12, 2024 at 02:30PM
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