Strategies for Building Locally Based Food Systems in Illinois Communities

A Checklist for Purchasing Local Produce — by Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management staff at Iowa State — last modified June 02, 2008 01:21 PM

Purchasing fruits and vegetables from local producers is one way to be sure products arefresh, help the local economy, and raise children’s awareness of food. As the person in charge of School Meals Programs, you have a responsibility to ensure the safety of foods served. Follow these steps to demonstrate reasonable care has been taken for procurement of foods.

How to work with producers who want to sell locally grown products in a grocery store — by Mark Steffen, Manager of Dave’s Supermarket, Fairbury IL — last modified May 27, 2008 08:32 PM

Advice from Mark Steffen, Manager of Dave’s Supermarket, Fairbury IL: How to work with producers who want to sell locally grown products in a grocery store steffen@gridcom.net

Consumer Interest in Food Systems Topics: Implications for Educators — by Melissa McEwen — last modified March 03, 2008 11:53 PM

Abstract: To assist consumers in understanding food system issues and to help them make informed choices, educators first need to engage their interests. To identify widely held consumer interests, focus groups informed a random sample survey conducted in the Central Coast region of California. Survey respondents reported the most interest in the safety and nutrition of their food, as well as in the external impacts of how their food was produced. Correlational analysis was used to explore characteristics and behaviors associated with these interests. The results offer strategies for public issues educators to target or structure food system related education initiatives.

Local Foods in Stephenson County — by Margaret Larson, Extension Director of Stephenson County, IL — last modified May 27, 2008 08:36 PM

A Presentation by Margaret Larson, Director Also viewable @ http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=d7xzw54_126cd6b82cp

Selling Strategies for Local Food Producers — by Bill McKelvey, Department of Rural Sociology, is a program associate with the Community Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Program; Mary Hendrickson, Department of Rural Sociology, is director of the Food Circles Networking Project and associate director of the Community Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Program; Joe Parcell, Department of Agricultural Economics, is director of the Missouri Value Added Development Center. — last modified May 27, 2008 08:42 PM

 

Building a Sustainable Local Food System — by Carrie Edgar University of Illinois Extension - Adams/Brown Unit — last modified May 27, 2008 08:43 PM

Carrie Edgar University of Illinois Extension - Adams/Brown Unit

Local Foods in Stephenson County — by Margaret Larson, Extension Director of Stephenson County, IL — last modified May 29, 2008 11:03 AM

For the past three years, the University of Illinois Extension-Stephenson County has been engaged in local foods-related activities, including programming, events, community facilitation, education and public awareness. Work in this area provides an opportunity for programming that highly complements the four core areas of Extension (Youth and 4-H, Family and Consumer Sciences, Community and Economic Development, and Agriculture and Natural Resources). Staff and enthused volunteers have integrated all four areas with local foods initiatives partnering with area organizations. Foremost in this effort is leading the Northwest Illinois Local Foods Task Force, with a mission of “enhancing consumer awareness of and producer capabilities for expanding the local foods system.”

Northeast Iowa Local Food Survey: Summary Report — by Melissa McEwen — last modified March 04, 2008 12:16 AM

This report summarizes the initial findings of a survey of institutional buyers in a five-county region in Northeast Iowa. Staff members at nearly 140 institutions answered questions about product and purchasing attributes, advantages to local purchases, purchasing patterns of local food products, and demographic characteristics.

Developing a Vibrant and Sustainable Regional Food System: Suggestions for Community-Based Groups — by The Leopold Center’s Regional Food Systems Working Group (RFSWG) Subcommittee — last modified May 29, 2008 11:03 AM

 

Food Miles and Consumer Perceptions of Locally Grown Foods — by Rich Pirog, Marketing & Food Systems Program Leader, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University -- Ames Iowa — last modified May 27, 2008 08:47 PM

 

Highlights from the Local Food System round table discussions at Starved Rock Lodge (2-11-08) and University of Illinois Springfield (2-13-08) — by Extension — last modified June 02, 2008 12:32 PM

The round table discussions covered the following LFS topics: why support local foods and why now, defining locally grown/processed, the challenges and strategies of sourcing local foods for meetings, what it means to assess a community food system, producer issues, institutional food buying issues, tips on creating a successful farmer’s market, local food policy, identifying community resources, and outlining goals/criteria for success. The names of the Extension staff who facilitated the discussion are in parenthesis next to the topic title.