Illinois Profile

There are currently several Farm to School initiatives in Illinois school districts. In Chicagoland, Oak Park/Lake Forest District 97 has been working with Seven Generations Ahead, a local non-profit, to encourage school gardens, salad bars, and locally grown foods in cafeterias. Other interested schools include several charter schools such as Perspectives and Namaste, and the Chicago Public Schools. Schools in Grayslake and Township High School District 211 have also been buying some of the produce for their meals directly from local farmers. However, there is no legislative framework for these initiatives or corresponding support structure. These initiatives are driven by interested school districts, individual schools, area non-profits, and community groups. And while they offer much-needed models for designing and implementing Farm to School programs, more widespread efforts will require legislative action and support, particularly in schools in underserved and minority communities.

The growing interest in supporting local agriculture in Illinois and throughout the Midwest is evidenced in part by the unanimous passage of House Bill 1300, the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act of 2007, which created a multi-disciplinary task force of non-profits, state officials, farm organizations, businesses, and farmers to look at what can be done to support and expand local food production, processing, and distribution in Illinois. They are scheduled to produce a comprehensive report and make a series of related policy suggestions in September 2008.