As many of you know, Sustain and FamilyFarmed.org have played a key role in the recent passage of the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act. The Act empowers the Governor to appoint the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force, which is charged with creating a plan to make Illinois a leader in local and organic food production.

We are now working with the Act's lead sponsors, Representative Julie Hamos and Senator Jacqueline Collins, plus our partners on the Food, Farms, and Jobs Coalition to develop recommendations for Task Force membership. We invite you to be part of this process. This Saturday, there is a meeting at Sustain's office to engage stakeholders and to solicit Task Force nominations in person. The information is below.

--Jim Slama, President of Sustain and founder of FamilyFarmed.org

A Letter from the Lead Sponsors of the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act Seeking Nominees for the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force...

The Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, HB 1300, recently passed both Houses of the Illinois legislature. The Bill's goal is to create a seamless Illinois food system, from farm to fork. It directs the Governor to appoint an Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force within 60 days after the bill is signed - or sometime this fall. The Task Force will make recommendations to the 2009 Illinois General Assembly for the development of an Illinois-based food system to meet Illinois' rapidly expanding demand for local food, creating jobs, growing the Illinois economy, and revitalizing its rural communities.

As HB 1300's lead sponsors, we welcome recommendations in a transparent process to find the best nominees for Task Force membership. We are working with the advocates who helped to draft this legislation and who have assembled a growing coalition of over 100 organizations, farmers, and food consumers who support this effort. These advocates include Keith Bolin (American Corn Growers Association), Jim Braun (Illinois Farmer-Consumer Coalition), Bryan Sharp (Illinois Farmers Union), Debbie Hillman (Evanston Food Policy Council), Bridget Holcomb (Illinois Stewardship Alliance), Jim Slama (Sustain), and Kendall Thu (Northern Illinois University, Illinois Farmer-Consumer Coalition). We seek the broadest participation possible from every Illinois community, rural and urban, north and south.

If you wish to engage in this process, contact Debbie Hillman at DLHillman@sbcglobal.net (847-328-7175) or Jim Braun at jbraun2525@yahoo.com (515-229-2679). Recommendations must be received no later than June 30, 2007.

--Representative Julie Hamos and Senator Jacqueline Collins

Nomination Meeting This Saturday, June 23, at Sustain's Chicago Office...

The purpose of this meeting is to continue the discussion that began in Springfield on June 12, in order to discuss:

1. Task Force Membership Recommendations: Deliver to the Governor a strong slate of 32 recommendations, matched to each slot available on the Task Force.

2. Task Force Operations Recommendations: Provide foundational thinking for how the Task Force can best organize and conduct its work in creating the Illinois Local and Organic Farm and Food Plan.

Thank you for your continued interest and support! Jim Braun, Illinois Farmer-Consumer Coalition; Debbie Hillman, Evanston Food Policy Council; Bridget Holcomb, Illinois Stewardship Alliance; Jim Slama, Sustain; Kendall Thu, IFCC, Northern Illinois University

For more information, contact info@sustainusa.org