Illinois Stewardship
Alliance
  
 
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Newsletter -- July 2008
In this month's issue:
Looking for where to find local foods in central Illinois? The Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBL) Central Illinois chapter released the 2008-2009 membership directory connecting consumers with locally produced foods. The directory lists members including farms, restaurants, retail outlets and farmers markets. Businesses or organizations that support the local food system are also eligible for membership.
The BFBL directory is one of the ways that the local chapter is reaching out to consumers to encourage support of local farmers. In addition to raising consumer awareness, the BFBL chapter uses an attractive logo and campaign materials that can be an incentive for restaurants, retail outlets and others to also support local farmers. The chapter is currently working with local retail outlets to increase availability of local foods for the community.
The directory is available at member restaurants and retail outlets in Springfield
and can also be downloaded by
clicking here.
Wholesaling Workshop
Wholesale buyers are looking for local foods, and farmers have a huge opportunity to sell to them.
Wholesale marketing can be done in addition to direct marketing or as a separate venture, while still receiving a premium for selling to the local market.
Getting into wholesaling takes planning, understanding the market, and connecting with food buyers.
ISA is hosting a Local Foods Wholesaling Opportunities workshop in Springfield on August 5th, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to give farmers a chance to hear from wholesale buyers, learn about the economics behind it, and network with wholesale buyers who are interested in buying more local food.
This event is free.
For more information go to
http://www.ilstewards.org/Calendar.htm#wholesal.
ISA's most popular publication, A Guide to Illinois Laws Governing Direct Farm Marketing, is now available for download for free. Authored by Rich Schell J.D., this guide informs farmers and growers about what they need to know to legally sell farm products directly to consumers. Printed copies are available for a nominal charge,
but the electronic version can be downloaded at no cost:
go to
http://www.ilstewards.org/resources/LegalGuideFarmMarketingIL.pdf.
Attention small businesses! The Small Business Innovation Research Program is accepting grant applications, including projects that have a small and mid-sized farm focus.
The deadline for application is September 4, 2008;
for more information go to
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/sbir.cfm .
Registration
is Open for ISA’s Third Join ISA
at Rolling on the River,
Three local groups in western Illinois are leading efforts to develop local food systems and have recently begun to discuss regional collaboration. The Tri-State Food Policy Council in the Quincy area, Food Initiatives Group (FIG) in the Macomb area and The Center in the Galesburg area have all been working independently to increase access to local foods. From local food dinners to procuring a debit card machine to process LINK cards at farmers markets, all of these groups are making significant impacts in their communities.
Regional collaboration seemed to be a natural fit for these groups that are working towards a common goal in relatively close proximity yet with distinct focal points. The discussion began at a local foods potluck meeting in June and is ongoing. Ideas that surfaced include: help promote one another's events, start a regional gleaning group to offer pick-up and delivery of excess produce, and apply for funding for research to support the local food systems in the region.
Learn more about each of the groups here:
Policy Corner
ISA visits Sen. Durbin's office and USDA
A big THANK YOU to everyone who called Sen. Durbin's office in support of
ATTRA (http://attra.ncat.org/) and
VAPG (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm).
Sen. Durbin has supported these important sustainable agriculture programs in the past, and it is important that he hear from constituents that these programs need to be continued. Thanks again for everyone who made a quick call to his office.
Earlier this month ISA paid a visit to Sen. Durbin's office in DC where we highlighted ATTRA and VAPG as well as the importance of local foods.
Sen. Durbin is a supporter of local agriculture and has read Michael Pollan's books on the subject; he continues to watch local foods activities happening in Illinois.
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