SETTING EVANSTON’S TABLE

APRIL 2015

A REPORT TO EVANSTON FOOD EXCHANGE

Calling for a community-based plan to reduce hunger and poverty

By Bob Heuer Public Policy & Marketing Strategist [email protected]

1 Table of Contents

Foreword……………………………………………………………………………………3 Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………..4 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………...5 Key Findings from Stakeholder Interviews……………………………………10 EFE Organizing Principles…………………………………………………………….15 Evanston Needs Catalyst to Empower Local Food Networks...………..17 A Place to Start: Planting Seeds in 2015……………………………………… ..21 Public School, Municipal & State Policy Support…………………...... 23 What to do about Washington?...... 29 Local/Regional/State/National Resources……………..……………………..30 EFE Board of Directors

2 TO: Evanston Food Exchange Board of Directors FROM: Bob Heuer

I am pleased to submit the following report for the purpose of informing your efforts to develop this new non-profit organization into a valuable asset serving our community.

The findings draw on my 25 years of experience both writing about agriculture, finance and regional economies as a freelance journalist as well as my work as an independent public policy/marketing consultant serving public, private, and non-profit sector clientele.

Most every participant in America’s local food movement has a story about how and where they began to become deeply aware of what they eat. Mine dates to May 1989 and a bus ride with commercial and industrial real estate brokers through the outskirts of Chicago’s western suburbs. My Chicago Reader article was entitled: “Bus to the Future: The open land of today is the corporate office environment of tomorrow.”

“Bus to the Future” also had an unexpected personal meaning. That day-long ride through cornfields of opportunity led me on a new career path—and eventually to this food thing. I set out to understand the American cultural ethic that equates “progress” with destroying farmland. Organizing our way of life around a systematic creation of new suburbs seemed wasteful—or at least it did by the time the 20th century was winding to an end. Maybe it’s no coincidence that the 21st century had arrived before I saw a better way to grow.

Several years ago, I realized food could be the foundational strategy for a political economy based on reinvestment in existing communities. This discovery was an outgrowth of my seven years as chair of the Evanston/Skokie School Dist. 65/202 Legislative Task Force.

Parental concerns about the quality of school meals led us to draft—and both boards to approve—the 2009 “Healthy Communities” resolution. To write that policy statement, I reached out to content experts. Along the way, the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force hired me write their report to the General Assembly. “Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy” became the basis for a state law authorizing creation of the Illinois Local Food Farms and Jobs Council. As a gubernatorial appointee to the Council’s founding board, I spent five years representing our 65/202 school community in Springfield. That surreal experience taught me two things: 1) the Council’s organizational model has potential if applied at the local level; 2) if you want to get anywhere with creating a new food system, start with your own neighborhood.

I look forward to working with you to help EFE pursue its mission. How this new non- profit will sustain itself is unclear. The answer may reveal itself through what some board members envision as a three-year pilot project. EFE’s experiment in making neighborhood-based agricultural systems work in Evanston could have an impact beyond our own community. Indeed, urban, suburban, exurban and rural

3 communities nationwide are exploring how to sustain themselves through food initiatives.

Executive Summary

The Evanston Food Exchange (EFE) was formed in response to community demand that surfaced during Evanston 150’s sesquicentennial planning process. One of the “10 Big Ideas” to shape the city’s future was a “Market for All Seasons.” EFE was formerly known as the Evanston Community Market. ECM organized the winter market that takes place Saturdays between December and April at the Evanston Ecology Center. Now completing its fourth season, this indoor venue complements the popular outdoor farmers market. EFE can build on this success by becoming a social enterprise organization that bolsters Evanston local food culture and revitalizes the grassroots foundation of our economy.

This report draws on perspectives of 15 community leaders engaged in healthy food, nutrition, gardening and agriculture initiatives. Each interviewee expressed an interest in exploring how a common agenda might be developed to reduce hunger and poverty in our community. All encouraged EFE to facilitate this effort to align Evanston community assets.

The report process has clarified an opportunity for EFE board to provide leadership by convening and facilitating a transparent and collaborative process to create a community plan. A good starting point would be to a public meeting for report interviewees to discuss needs and interests. A community plan could emerge from this two-prong strategy:

1. Crystallize a vision by leveraging momentum from stakeholders’ current projects to create a healthy food & farming community-building agenda based on five objectives:

• Increase food production on private/public land • Develop market-based & need-based local food distribution systems • Create a pre-K through community college curriculum that combines gardening, nutrition, cooking, composting and entrepreneurship • Expand healthy eating cooking class programs • Develop a public education/awareness/community engagement program

2. Build a foundation for sustained long-term success by cultivating partnerships with City of Evanston (COE), Cradle to Career (C2C), and Northwestern University (NU) and include the following proposals:

• COE can champion a neighborhood-scale community/economic development program by creating a “framework to support…a thriving food system” • C2C can complement its collective impact agenda on social services with EFE’s collective impact agenda on social enterprise • NU can create a research agenda that could address specific Evanston needs and may have relevancy for municipalities nationwide

4 This report was underwritten through a generous contribution from 1st Farm Credit Services. This Bloomington-based agricultural lending cooperative’s mission is to provide capital and related financial services to farmers and other agricultural businesses in northern Illinois. In February 2015, the Internal Revenue Service awarded EFE tax-exempt status as a 501 (c) (3) organization. This report scopes out options for EFE board of directors to create the collaborations to realize the new non- profit organization’s mission to “end hunger, reduce poverty and build healthier communities.” Introduction

The Evanston Food Exchange’s mission “to end hunger, reduce poverty and build healthier communities” reflects a realization that the time is ripe for neighborhood- based agriculture. EFE can augment existing anti-hunger and poverty programs by leveraging the growing popularity of food gardening.

Plant more seeds in the ground. Build markets to buy local products. Start in pre- school to create interest and demand. That’s the basis for an entrepreneurial strategy to promote the cultural resilience to address these complex social problems.

The point of departure is a public dialogue to align the goals of the many local groups involved in healthy food, nutrition, gardening and agriculture initiatives. The opportunity to engage the broader community relates to a benchmark moment in our city’s history.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the Downtown Evanston Farmers’ Market. Its enduring success exemplifies how food and farming are wellsprings for culture and commerce.

In 1975, a city commission and Chamber of Commerce established the market on Benson Street with about a dozen vendors. In 2015, the city plans on 50+ vendors selling their wares at the market’s current location. The Northwestern-owned parking lot near the intersection of Oak Avenue and University Place will attract thousands of people each week.

The market offers products that are healthy for the body, green for the planet and fair for the farmer. EFE can contribute by fostering collaboration among the many people committed to ensuring that “good food” is also accessible to all.

“Strongest food trend in decades”

In 1975, Evanston’s farmers market was one of about 300 nationwide. Forty years later, there are more than 300 markets in Illinois alone.

This nationwide proliferation reflects consumers’ desire to know where their food comes from. U.S. Department of Agriculture officials call this “the strongest food trend in decades.”

5 The “local food movement” is sparking the formation of regional-scale food systems. This redesign of the commercial food business is increasing the flow of farmers- market-type products into high-volume wholesale channels. “Local” has become a popular selling point in grocery stores, restaurants, and dining halls like Northwestern.

EFE can make a collective impact by focusing on the grassroots end of the spectrum. The need is to organize community-based initiatives that capitalize on of the increasingly favorable economics of backyard farming.

EFE began laying groundwork for this effort with its 2011 establishment as the Evanston Community Market. ECM formed in response to the Evanston 150’s sesquicentennial planning process. When “A Market for All Seasons” surfaced as one of Evanston’s“10 Big Ideas,” local leaders began meeting regularly at First Bank and Trust.

ECM organized the winter market that takes place Saturdays between December and April at the Evanston Ecology Center. ECM conducted surveys and met with people —including officials at successful markets in Detroit and Grand Rapids. ECM considered opening a storefront to sell local food products and provide community- based programs. The group determined that operating a facility was not a priority.

In 2014, ECM members passed winter market leadership to the City of Evanston. The name change to Evanston Food Exchange reflects the fact that the promotion of private enterprise is one component of a broader strategy. There’s also a need to be a convener and resource promoting education and community action.

Building on past success

The “Market for All Seasons” remains a long-term objective. A first step should be to begin a civic dialogue to, in effect, create a market for the market. That is, create a market that serves all Evanston communities.

Evanston is a microcosm of the metropolitan Chicago region—rich and poor concentrated in a 7.7 square mile suburb. Despite our reputation for economic and racial economic diversity, we are a community of distinct divides. It is said that Evanston Township High School and the YMCA are the only places where “all our neighborhoods collide.”

In January 2014, an EFE team met with the Evanston/Skokie School District 65/202 Community Legislative Committee. The consensus was that community-based food, nutrition and agriculture initiative could enhance student learning. About half of our public school population qualifies for free or reduced lunch. Those numbers climb to nearly 80% in the summer. ETHS expanded summer school hours to ensure that many high school age youth access at least one balanced meal a day.

Evanston police say investigations into the cause of a domestic disturbance sometimes include opening the refrigerator. Some 8,000 Evanstonians (13 percent of our population) struggle with “food insecurity,” according to Hillside Food Pantry.

6 This church-based north Evanston agency redistributes “rescued” food to 250-300 families each week. Local businesses and institutions contribute to citywide entities that provide food for the needy. One of Hillside’s partners—Northbrook-based Hunger Resources Network—also secures food from 15 area farmers markets.

“Evanston was our first farmers market,” HRN president Daniel Jariabka says. “We started several years ago. We approached a vendor who said nobody had ever asked before.”

Advancing “social enterprise” solutions

EFE should complement needs-based food distribution systems by encouraging nascent market-based local food distribution systems. The most effective means could be as a “social enterprise” organization.

Such entities, the Social Enterprise Alliance says, use “….methods and disciplines of business and the power of the marketplace to advance their social, environmental and human justice agendas.” SEA’s vision— “building an economy on purpose”—is a goal that EFE might adopt.

How this new non-profit will sustain itself is unclear. The answer may reveal itself through a three-year pilot to explore how neighborhood-based agricultural systems can create opportunities for all American communities to sustain themselves.

One pathway is to improve the old “food stamp” model. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of more than a dozen federal food assistance programs that annually provide Illinois residents with several billion dollars worth of aid. Evanston is one of many communities leveraging this purchasing power through buy-local incentives.

A national model is Michigan-based Fair Food Network. Its “Double Up” program provides SNAP beneficiaries with a one-to-one match to purchase healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables. The program is underwritten by corporate, community and private foundations. Their donations are leveraging federal funds.

Friends of the Evanston Farmers Market secured contributions from North Shore University Health System, a private family foundation and First Bank & Trust. The $50,000 fund will augment SNAP purchasing power at the market this year. Friends Education Director Vikki Proctor explains: "Whatever they spend, we spend."

Such demand-side innovations could benefit from complementary supply-side efforts. That means promoting a systematic approach to scaling food production at the community level. That also means uncovering a more effective role for government.

Grassroots drive food policy

A decade ago, Evanston community leaders worked with then State Representative Julie Hamos to jumpstart a discussion about state government’s role. Since 2007, the Illinois General Assembly has passed about 10 state local food laws. The thrust of this

7 growing body of law has been to decentralize authority and decision-making to the local level.

In March 2014, EFE members organized a community forum where 40 people shared food concerns with State Senator Daniel Biss and State Representative Robyn Gabel. Our lawmakers saw passion for food issues and evidence of confusing safety regulations.

“I’m continually amazed at how much of life is touched by this food issue,” Sen. Biss responded. He cited the need for “more explicit policies at all levels of government involving food, nutrition and agriculture. For generations, this has been exclusive domain of agriculture and the business aspects of food. In recent years, the health community has begun to bring forth the nutrition agenda. These and many other things need to be tied together through an overarching food policy. This new policy framework will have the greatest traction if it comes from the grassroots.”

EFE members suggested that food policy begin with government’s human services function. Human services involve assistance and empowerment tools that enable individuals, groups, families and communities to function more effectively. What better place to start promoting greater access to healthy and affordable food.

Springfield approves community self-help approach

As chairwoman of the Illinois House Human Services committee, Rep. Gabel was poised to act. Her resolution was adopted by the full House of Representatives last May.

HR 1093 “Urges the Governor to design and execute a strategy to align the unique expertise and functions of 6 State entities - the Illinois Commission to End Hunger, the Illinois Commission on the Eradication of Poverty, the Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council, the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, the Illinois Task Force of Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Enterprise, and the Illinois Business Development Council - in an ongoing program to embolden and empower communities to advance low-cost and high-return strategies to help end hunger and poverty.” http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp? DocNum=1093&GAID=12&DocTypeID=HR&LegId=82233&SessionID=85&GA=98

EFE members presented the Gabel resolution to city officials. Days later, Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl signed a letter of support. She said our community needs a “framework to support” development of a “thriving food system” as “an essential component of a livable, sustainable Evanston…Funding is fragmented and communities need a roadmap for both planning and implementation of coordinated food system initiatives that address the system holistically.”

Last summer, the City Council adopted a package of three “urban agriculture” ordinances. This legal framework can support development of an economy based on activities that are now widely viewed as a hobby.

8 “Grow your own” a national trend

Food gardening rose 17 percent nationwide between 2008 and 2013. A National Gardening Association (NGA) report also found the fastest growing population segment to start food gardens is millennials.

“(Y)oung people have really begun to champion the connection between growing food, eating well and healthy living,” NGA president and CEO Mike Metallo says. “Gardening brings people from diverse and different backgrounds together—families, young people, the elderly, neighbors, politicians—to do something good, not just for your health and body, but for your community.”

He attributes this comeback to some indisputable factors. There’s “strong national leadership, increased awareness and educational efforts; and more engagement through public-private partnerships to promote food gardens in communities across the country.”

Less certain is Metallo’s claim that more people grow their own food due to an “improving economy.” Philadelphia-based Roxanne Christensen say the profit motive leads aspiring gardeners to buy her learning series “Small Plot INtensive Farming” aka SPIN.

“The predominant view of gardening is still dominated by feel-good benefits,” Christensen says. “What if people could use their gardening skills to meet short- or long-term economic goals—funding for a new TV or Internet access, fixing up the house, visiting a distant relative? Markets are forming to support backyard farming. I’m unaware of any program that is encouraging and supporting community-scale for- profit farms to reap the economic value of local food production. “

Food gardening, NGA’s Metallo says, is part of the solution for “16 million children in America struggling with hunger.” The most effective approach may mean “solving for pattern.” That’s a term coined by farmer/philosopher Wendell Berry who says genuine progress requires addressing individual "problems" in their larger context.

Making neighborhood-based agriculture a norm

In October 2013, the Chicago Tribune invited readers to share their ideas for updating the 1909 Burnham plan. (This civic blueprint guided the modernization of Chicago’s central business district and inspired urban planning worldwide.)

The Tribune received thousands of proposals. In October 2014, the newspaper published "A new plan of Chicago: 12 ways to heal our city."

One of the recommendations is "City in a Garden." The problem: “Empty lots and abandoned homes plague neighborhoods.”

The solution: “Transform them into urban farms. This could be done near schools to give kids a chance to learn about agriculture and nutrition. Or it could be scaled up to provide fresh produce to area restaurants and grocery stores. This is a frequent

9 readers' suggestion that needs a champion—a big grocery chain, a food company, a gardening conglomerate?”

Repurposing small land tracts for food production will generate economic, ecological, and social benefits. But big business is ill-equipped to “champion” this process. After all, one of the drivers of local food trends is a reaction against industrial control.

The most appropriate "champion" is municipal government. This unit of government is close enough to the people to understand how to strike an appropriate balance between corporate- and community-based food systems. Municipalities can balance government’s obligation to protect the safety, health and welfare of its people with the need to get out of the way of food producers.

Evanston. Chicago. Communities everywhere could use a process model to encourage public to do what we need to do to weave food production into the fabric of 21st century society. Organizations like EFE can be the spark to align a community’s assets.

Key Findings from Stakeholder Interviews

Interviews were conducted with representatives from 15 healthy food, nutrition, gardening and agriculture initiatives between January and March 2015. The following summarizes what they do and how their projects can benefit from EFE’s help.

Child Care Center of Evanston

• Strengthens families by providing high quality, affordable day care for children ages 2-5 from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

• Utilizes “Go Food Garden”/on-site kitchen to teach children about life cycles, plant care, personal responsibility and where food comes from.

• Programs & Communications manager Ann Rappelt says EFE’s efforts could raise the community awareness needed to help CCCE’s edible garden project attract volunteers, donations and education opportunities for staff.

Collective Resource, Inc.

10 • Evanston-based business collects food waste and compostable products from homes (5 gallon buckets), businesses, and institutions (32 gallon cans) and delivers to a commercial composting site where waste becomes a nutrient-rich soil amendment. • • In 2014, grew revenues by 58%; increased diversion of materials from landfill (4-6 tons per week to 12-14 tons per week); purchased third cargo van and increased truck crew labor force hired through Evanston’s Youth Job Center from 4 to 6. • • Owner Erlene Howard would like EFE to encourage creation of a citywide residential composting program.

Edible Evanston

• Develops sustainable local food sources by creating urban farms, community gardens, greenhouses and composting sites.

• Maintains 40 fruit and nut trees and 10 raspberry bushes at Eggleston Park; manages delivery of community garden surplus to Hillside and Harvest food pantries; conducts free workshops/free seed swap events

• Co-leader Ken Kastman asks that EFE “coordinate and manage a communication system that increases visibility and support for our community’s many healthy food, nutrition and production initiatives.”

Endless Greens

• Evanston-based garden production and marketing company grows organic produce year-round for sale at various markets and donation to food pantry; provides garden consulting, design and installation services; teaches gardening classes

• Expanding business through more sales to restaurants/grocery stores; using Ridge Ave. garden plot to test prospects for expansion to additional lots in 2016;

• Principal Gareth Procter asks that EFE “facilitate dialogue with City of Evanston and other community partners to 1) design self-sustaining summer youth employment focused on food production and 2) support non-profit/for-profit initiatives to grow food on private and public spaces

Evanston Township High School

11 • Efforts to educate all students to their fullest potential includes a $2M food budget that supports preparation of meals served at four cafeterias and delivered to Dist. 65 elementary schools;

• Continue to strive to improve quality of school meals; increase summer youth employment through vegetable production/distribution projects in partnership with The Talking Farm; expand food-related classes; explore feasibility of advancing these initiatives through Alliance for Lifelong Learning—an Oakton Community College collaboration with ETHS and neighboring high school districts

• ETHS chief financial officer Bill Stafford says EFE can help through “the coordination of community assets” and creation of comprehensive healthy food, nutrition, gardening and agriculture initiative

Green Edens Horticultural Services

• Evanston-based organic/sustainable landscaping company serves customers who want to create spaces of beauty that re-establish the health and natural balance of the environment

• Organize/teach/expand Ridgeville Park District’s Garden2Table program, manages YWCA edible gardens; partners with Endless Greens for Ridge Avenue homeowner

• Principal Amy Dale says her business would benefit from EFE’s facilitation with city of Evanston, school districts, non-profits, community groups and businesses to foster culture of innovation for farming and food-related business

Hillside Food Pantry

• Hillside Church’s ministry to meet community need includes distribution of “rescued” food to anyone from the chronically poor and working poor to those in need for the first time.

• In 2014, served 250-300 families each week with products secured from Jewel Food Stores, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Northbrook-based Hunger Resource Network, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Evanston Farmers Market; and sorted/stored goods in on-site facilities.

• Pantry director Maiya Lueptow sees value in EFE’s efforts to build a network of complementary community-based initiatives, and hopes one outcome will be increased community access to fresh vegetables in the winter

12 Northwestern Dining Services/Sodexo

• Management of the NU community’s campus meal program includes the delivery of healthy eating experiences at 6 on-campus dining halls, and NU’s restaurants, cafes and sports concession stands on Evanston/Chicago campuses

• NU dining halls were voted #5 in U.S. for college food, according to website The Daily Meal; integrates nutritional education into its meal offerings; manages Campus Kitchens which employs student volunteers to recycle unserved food for seniors, youth programs, and other community organizations.

• Sodexo district manager Erich Geiger says that working through EFE could enable efficient utilization of NU Dining Services resources to support NU/ Evanston collaboration around community-based food, nutrition and agricultural initiatives

NU Sustainable Food Talks

• Monthly potluck/panel discussion during school year provides a venue for people to learn from and connect with food system practitioners and advocates

• Expanding partner organizations (20) and record for attracting newcomers to each event underscore potential for the forum to evolve into a well-resourced faculty-led program

• Co-chairs Tiffany Leighton Ozmina and Allison Potteiger say this on-campus convener would benefit from a partnership with EFE—an off-campus convener —to support NU’s strategic plan goal to improve community outreach and engagement

Ridgeville Park District

• Services at this network of seven south Evanston parks include a mid-week farmers' market and Garden 2Table—an 8 mo. weekly program enabling Evanston residents to learn how to plant, maintain and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs for personal consumption.

• Entering its second year, Garden2Table is adding a second location (Grace Lutheran Church) in 2015 so more people can access a program that evolved from its core purpose to include regular potlucks, and engagement in ongoing neighborhood development activities

13 • RPD board member Dan Coyne would like to see EFE become the “go to” facilitation resource for RPD to connect with the larger community of Evanston through partnerships with schools, youth development programs, social service agencies, faith-based groups, etc.

Schools Are Gardening In Evanston

• This 5 year old Evanston Environmental Association program cultivates health, learning and environmental stewardship through edible school gardens at 12 public schools, 2 private schools and 2 parochial schools

• Provides funding and resources to edible school gardens and advocates for using gardening activities to incorporate food education into the curriculum.

• SAGE steering committee member Lynn Hyndman says the group could use EFE’s help promoting the role that school gardens can play in educating children about food and its relationship to a healthy community and environment.

The Talking Farm

• This nine year old 501(c)(3) organization cultivates healthy, sustainable communities by supporting the production and appreciation of locally grown food.

• Produces food on the “Edible Acre” lot in partnership with ETHS and its new 2.5 acre “Howard Street Farm” on Skokie Park District property; provided preschoolers; persons with learning difficulties; Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts; Northwestern/Loyola university students; corporate community service initiatives and others with more than 2,500 volunteer/educational hours in 2014

• Farm manager Matt Ryan is looking to EFE to raise visibility on healthy food and farming issues as a means to help The Talking Farm secure resources to hire a second full-time staff member, increase land access and incrementally scale its scope of operations in partnership with like-minded groups

The Yellow Tractor Project (TYTP)

• Empower people everywhere, especially in underserved areas, to grow their own fresh, healthy food, easily and affordably. (Wilmette-based TYTP is the non-profit arm of Yellow Tractor, LLC, a social enterprise, which provides full- service corporate wellness programs and employee engagement projects for Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.)

14 • Provision of garden materials and educational programming has included Child Care Center of Evanston, Fleetwood Jourdain; Y.O.U., Evanston Ecology Center, Ebenezer Primm Towers, Jacob Blake Manor and Curt’s Café.

• TYTP co-founder and interim executive director director Wendy Irwin wants to collaborate with EFE on initiatives designed to better align community assets to support self-sustaining, social-enterprise activities that begin with growing food

YWCA

• Urban garden program empowers women/families through education about production and cooking of healthy, affordable food

• YWCA’s 13 raised edible garden beds supply food used in a program that includes weekly healthy eating cooking classes at Mary Lou’s Place (the Y’s domestic violence shelter for women and children). The Y has a healthy eating series for Women Out Walking (joint venture with Evanston Health Dept.), ETHS’ Latino advisory group, Connections for the Homeless, and Y.O.U. community class in Skokie. New partnerships include Curt’s Cafe south and Erie Health Systems.

• The Y’s Garden to Table volunteer Alex Piper says EFE could play a role in bringing people together through coordinated effort to increase garden and kitchen capacity, and volunteers

Y.O.U. (Youth Organizations Umbrella, Inc.)

• Youth development agency provides services/leadership to meet emerging needs of young people and their families—including relatively new gardening/ culinary skills programs

• After-school/summer school programs utilizing garden at Y.O.U. offices were the starting point for 2015 plans to create a holistic program that weaves gardening, cooking and arts curriculum into community development framework

• Jacob Hostetter—Y.O.U.’s Director of Allied Against Violence Project and Garden Coordinator—sees potential in EFE’s desire to build a network of local constituencies advancing healthy food and nutrition initiatives

15 EFE Organizing Principles

The 15 interviewees all recognized that their organizations could benefit from participation in some larger initiative. The leadership void is evident. How to fill the void is the challenge.

What not to do is easy: Don’t do anything to usurp anyone’s authority or diminish access to resources. Don’t initiate a planning process that invites burdensome expectations or distracts people or organizations from doing their own work.

In other words: Be transparent, be inclusive and add value. But how?

A March 4 presentation of preliminary report findings to the EFE board led one member to say the organization should expect community involvement “on their terms.” People “will get involved with what they are already involved with, the challenge is to connect what they are currently involved and interested in – with the direction EFE wants to go. The need is to connect with those groups already functioning and see what it is that they are involved with. Share with them what EFE is wanting to do…”

Build on effective state model

The Evanston community has the makings of an effective new resource. EFE can be of great service by learning from the experience of the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force.

The Task Force was authorized by a 2007 state law to produce recommendations for how state government can support development of community-based food systems statewide. Over the course of two years, monthly meetings were held, subcommittees created, and public listening sessions convened.

This intensive grassroots activity led to passage of a law authorizing formation of the Illinois Local Food Farms and Jobs Council. In August 2009, Gov. Pat Quinn signed the law at the Illinois State Fair’s agriculture day luncheon. Established in March 2010, the Council quickly became captive to the dysfunction of Springfield. Illinois state government has proven itself ill-equipped to lead what the Task Force envisioned as an instrument for community empowerment.

The Task Force’s work did produce knowledge that EFE can utilize in creating an instrument for community empowerment in cooperation with municipal government.

Below are the most relevant excerpts from the Task Force’s 2009 report entitled: “Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy.” http://www.citizenadvocacycenter.org/uploads/8/8/4/0/8840743/ ilffjc_2009_task_force_report_food_farms_and_jobs.pdf

16 “A complete local farm and food network features four essential components, each of equal importance:

• Farmers growing local farm and food products

• An infrastructure to aggregate, process, store, package, and transport local farm • and food products

• Markets that sell local farm and food products

• A population aware of the benefits of supporting a local farm and food system.

“For each community to develop its fullest potential, production, infrastructure, and customer access, and public awareness must develop in tandem. This is not happening today.”

Reasons cited are remarkably consistent with shortcomings identified six years later by participants in this EFE report. The difference is that what hasn’t gotten done at the state level is achievable at the municipal level.

The Illinois Task Force report found constituent groups “generally have very defined positions, missions, and charters, and are thereby restricted to specific realms of expertise in their community outreach. (They) …are at work separately and collectively in multiple realms of local farm and food expertise across Illinois, but their projects today remain isolated. Because they are disconnected, they have difficulty reaching their fullest potential. A new team member is required that is chartered specifically to guide and monitor the building of the statewide system.”

The Task Force proposed that the Council’s charge would be: “facilitating and synthesizing relationships between projects and networks. The Council will maintain the vision of the Plan for the benefit of all. It will move the system along. The Council will perform work not yet undertaken, that is outside the understandings, purviews, missions, and charters of fellow. The Council will exercise no authority over communities of place or purpose, but will work to support and expand the efficiency of their existing missions. Because they are disconnected, they would benefit from the assistance of a new team member chartered specifically to guide and monitor the building of the statewide system.

Subsidiarity: This organizing principle states that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest, or least centralized competent authority. The Council shall empower local networks. Local networks shall implement and benefit from all practices.

Non-competition: The Council shall not compete in any manner against Illinois team members or community-based (entities) or projects.

17 Facilitation: The Council shall facilitate program startups, and shall then relinquish all rights, benefits, and control to independent (entities) and their networks capable of continuing the mission after a short duration of time.

Evanston Needs Catalyst to Empower Local Food Networks

The stakeholder interviews revealed examples of promising projects that can be the starting point in shaping a three-year collective impact agenda. Any additional initiatives will be viewed as welcome additions to ongoing public discussion about moving forward with plans to reduce hunger and poverty.

Report findings reveal a void that EFE can fill by convening a transparent and collaborative process to create an action plan using this two-prong strategy:

1. Crystallize a vision by leveraging momentum from stakeholders current projects to create a healthy food & farming community-building agenda to advance at least five objectives:

--Increase food production on private/public land

• Numerous individuals produce food on Evanston’s 220 community garden plots on city parkland as well as on private property. Opportunities to scale production for private and commercial use will emerge from strategies that support 2015 stakeholder activities

• Endless Greens principal Gareth Procter is expanding his year-round backyard farm business in central Evanston by partnering with Green Edens Horticultural Services to provide free landscaping to a Ridge Avenue homeowner in exchange for the opportunity to produce food. The 100x200 sq. ft. garden could potentially yield $25,000 in gross sales. The 2015 effort will determine feasibility to replicate the model in other residential properties in 2016.

• The Talking Farm is increasing production on its two locations. The “Edible Acre” partnership with ETHS is entering its sixth year on a city lot on Dodge Avenue; it has a 20-year lease with the Skokie Park District to operate the 2.5 acre “Howard Street Farm” which enters the second year of production

• Collective Resource, Inc.’s steady growth over the last five years underscores the potential for a citywide residential composting program to turn food scraps into nutrient-rich soil amendments for use by local food producers

18 • Edible Evanston plans to double the number of trees/fruit bushes planted in Eggleston Park from the current 40 fruit and nut trees and 10 raspberry bushes. The first fruit harvest (2017) offers a planning horizon to make this community resource into a permanent orchard and model for replication in other public spaces.

--Develop market-based & need-based local food distribution systems

• Endless Greens is augmenting direct market sales at Evanston’s outdoor and indoor farmers markets through creation of new sales channels to restaurants and grocery stores (and potentially buying networks called community- supported agriculture)

• The Talking Farm’s expanded production will take advantage of a new relationship to sell produce to Chicago-based distributor Local Foods—a one- stop shop connecting small-scale producers with area restaurants.

• Hillside Food Pantry is one of about 20 local soup kitchens/pantries that address the often hidden issue of hunger—e.g. an estimated 13% of Evanston’s population (8,000 people) struggle with “food insecurity”

• Edible Evanston is entering its third year providing coolers at community gardens for gardeners seeking to donate surplus produce to those in need.

--Integrate nutrition/edible gardening into pre-K thru community college curriculum

• The Talking Farm’s partnership with ETHS provides hands-on education programs, food production and cooking opportunities, employment and new sales outlets. It’s developing an educational curriculum with its Howard St. neighbor—Tot Learning Center—a Skokie Park District childcare program serving approx. 100 children.

• ETHS recognizes an opportunity to advance initiatives outlined here through Alliance for Lifelong Learning—an Oakton Community College continuing education collaboration with ETHS and neighboring high school districts

• Schools Are Gardening in Evanston is committed to making edible gardens an integral part of District 65’s curriculum. SAGE organizes parents, community volunteers, and educators who operate gardens at 12 public schools, 2 private and 2 parochial schools. SAGE will support Y.O.U.’s summer garden program at Nichols middle school.

• Childcare Center of Evanston is one of a half dozen pre-K entities in the Skokie/Evanston school district utilizing on-site edible gardens. (Garden beds were provided by Yellow Tractor which also serves Fleetwood Jourdain; Y.O.U., Evanston Ecology Center, Ebenezer Primm Towers, Jacob Blake Manor and Curt’s Café.)

19 --Expand healthy eating cooking class programs

• YWCA’s 13 raised edible garden beds supply food used in a program that includes weekly healthy eating cooking classes at Mary Lou’s Place (the Y’s domestic violence shelter for women and children). The Y has a healthy eating series for Women Out Walking (joint venture with Evanston Health Dept.), ETHS’ Latino advisory group, Connections for the Homeless, and Y.O.U. community class in Skokie. New partnerships include Curt’s Cafe south and Erie Health Systems.

• Y.O.U. provides hands-on experiential learning through after-school/summer school programs utilizing garden at Y.O.U. offices. It has begun integrating culinary training for using fresh vegetables into curriculum. with Y.O.U. will provide gardening, ecosystem science, composting and nutrition programs to middle school and high school youth.

• Ridgeville Park District hosts Garden 2Table—an 8 mo. weekly program in which people learn how to plant, maintain and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs for personal consumption. Community potlucks are one of the outcomes of a program that this spring will add a second site at Grace Lutheran Church

--Develop a public education/awareness/community engagement program

• All 2015 projects and activities described above can maximize effectiveness through stakeholder participation in the development of a three-year community-based plan to reduce hunger and poverty

• EFE plans include: 1) organize a public forum to convene report stakeholders in a facilitated dialogue to develop strategies for leveraging current activities into a community action plan; 2) address identified needs through new connections, partnerships, resources and 3) provide an information clearinghouse that reports community progress, best practices from anywhere, public transparency to inform development of this community model; 4) encourage all constituencies to support its organizational mission and its efforts to facilitate a three-year community plan

• EFE plans to partner with stakeholders on collaborative efforts to secure private and public resources needed to support implementation of the three- year plan.

• EFE plans to facilitate strategic dialogue with and between stakeholders identified in this report as well as with other stakeholders who present themselves during plan design and implementation

2. Build foundation for sustained long-term success by cultivating partnerships with Cradle to Career, City of Evanston and Northwestern University:

20 --C2C can complement its collective impact social services agenda with EFE’s collective impact social enterprise agenda

• C2C is a newly formed umbrella group whose newly hired executive director (Sheila Merry) is charged with creating a common agenda designed to ensure that all young Evanston adults will be leading productive lives by the age of 23

• C2C’s initial focus on six areas—literacy, community poverty and stability, youth and family violence, health, career and post-secondary readiness, and parent connections—could align with an EFE-led healthy food, nutrition, gardening and agriculture initiative.

• Community concerns around food/nutrition in 2011 were a catalyst in Dist. 65/202 Legislative Task Force-led public forums that exposed the leadership void around broad-based community-asset-building to support children.

• Collaboration could include updating Dist. 65/202 Healthy Communities resolution of 2009 and application of collective impact approaches to improve student nutrition goals to improve school meals.

--COE can respond to Mayor Tisdahl’s call for a “framework to support…a thriving food system” by championing a neighborhood-scale community/ economic development plan

• City is supporting local food initiatives through recent passage of ordinances allowing neighborhood gardens, urban farms, rooftop farms, bees, backyard hens, and cottage food (i.e. products made in home kitchen and sold at farmers markets)

• Community partnerships can spur youth employment opportunities resulting from production of commodities whose sale will generate revenues to create the jobs

• COE sustainable programs coordinator Catherine Hurley sees healthy food and farming as asset in Sustainability Tools for Assessing and Rating (STAR) communities program.

• COE Health Department director Evonda Thomas-Smith is receptive to collaboration around goals to reduce hunger and poverty.

--NU can create healthy food & farming research agenda that could address specific Evanston needs and may have relevancy for municipalities nationwide

• NU Dining Services have resources that can support on- and off-campus interest in community-based food, nutrition and agricultural initiatives

21 • NU Food Talks offers to be the on-campus convener that complements EFE’s efforts as an off-campus convener

• Opportunities for NU student participation and faculty-led research potentially may involve numerous colleges: e.g. Kellogg School of Management; School of Education and Social Policy; Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences; McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science; Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications; School of Law; Feinberg School of Medicine

• Immediate needs include: 1) longitudinal study process to explore how student achievement is impacted by pre-K through high school edible gardening curriculum, and 2) a Kellogg School of Management team to assess how to maximize generation of revenue through a neighborhood-based agriculture system focused on reducing hunger and poverty

A Place to Start: Planting Seeds in 2015

Social entrepreneurs Gareth Procter and Amy Dale are pooling their expertise to show the economic value of food production on residential properties. Their 2015 test plot is a Ridge Avenue homeowner’s backyard. The two Evanston residents are looking for EFE’s help over the next few years to scale the practice.

At the March 11 EFE board meeting, Gareth declared: “I want to do agriculture yard by yard. This can be an economic engine with no end to the capacity. There are thousands of lawns in Evanston."

Gareth is a 20-year master producer gardener who owns Endless Greens. Amy is a Chicago Botanic Garden-trained master gardener who owns Green Edens Horticultural Services.

They will provide free landscaping in exchange for turning the lawn into a farming business. The 100x200 sq. ft. backyard garden could eventually yield $25,000 a year in gross sales.

Gareth anticipates significant property owner interest in replicating the Ridge Avenue pilot. Barriers include development of market channels and a labor force.

“If I have no land costs, I can employ teenagers for minimum wage,” Gareth says. “Food production could be a great addition to the city’s summer youth employment program. And the jobs would all involve activities that generate revenues to pay the labor costs.”

22 One challenge is interesting kids in this type of work. Gareth says the long-term solution will be a pre-K through community college curriculum that teaches gardening, nutrition, cooking, composting and entrepreneurship.

This human skill set has fallen by the wayside nationally with a result being less resilient communities. Evanston is one of many places where these activities are being revived.

The Talking Farm

In 2008, this Evanston non-profit collaborated with Evanston Township High School to turn an empty lot into the “Edible Acre.” The Dodge Avenue project has yielded summer jobs, nutrition/gardening education, vegetables and a solid partnership that can be the starting point for a cradle-to-career entrepreneurial initiative.

In 2011, TTF signed a 20-year lease to create the 2.5 acre “Howard Street Farm” on Skokie Park District property. Scores of groups volunteered thousands of hours to produce 3,000 pounds of vegetables. (Years of investment in soil fertility enabled the much smaller Dodge Avenue lot to yield 2,500 pounds.)

TTF’s 2015 plans include creating a partnership with the Howard St. Farm’s next door neighbor—the Skokie Tot Center. A summertime collaboration with Y.O.U. will provide gardening, science, and nutrition programs to middle school and high school youth. TTF board member Maria Alamo is an Evanston-based licensed dietitian and nutrition education consultant. She’d like to see EFE helping open new markets for Evanston food producers through collaborations with the healthcare community.

“Healthcare facilities can use local produce to educate healthcare professionals through nutrition and cooking classes,” she says. “Many facilities are creating rooftop gardens or gardens in open spaces surrounding facility where employees, guests and Roxanne Christensen patients can find respite. Produce is used for foodservice operations.” Mar 14, 12:17 PM Added: Space TTF recognizes entrepreneurial model on private land as a key to making neighborhood-based agriculture economically viable. As TTF’s founding director Roxanne Christensen Mar 14, 12:18 PM Linda Kruhmin says: “Evanston needs 100 farmers like Gareth Procter.” Added: Space Proving the concept

Gareth has the experience to grow and deliver a great product.. To best measure efforts to maximize revenue, he’s looking at how to apply lessons learned by practitioners of Small Plot INtensive (SPIN) Farming system.

The SPIN-Farming online learning program is marketed internationally as “the easiest and most effective way to learn how to make money growing food for those with no agricultural experience.” Its poster child is a Canadian named Curtis Stone.

23 “Gareth’s projection of $25,000 on 20,000 square feet tracks with our experience at Somerton Tanks Farm in Philadelphia,” SPIN co-author Roxanne Christensen says of a 2007 demonstration project that helped spark her business.

Creating food businesses in Evanston

“This Philadelphia Water District project is one of the best feasibility studies done to date,” Gareth says, identifying two points to inform Evanston’s initiative.

The first is that the municipal utility leased the land for $1 a year with no down payment. This is the largest issue as Evanston land costs average $100,000.00 for 1/3 of an acre.

The second is that a lot of upfront costs were covered by a non profit organization. This included the business organization, outreach to create a community-supported agriculture distribution network, marketing to restaurants, and worker training.

This spring, Gareth will use SPIN tools on the largest Ridge Avenue garden residential land “for a full evaluation of their techniques.” Looking ahead, this former Chicago Public School science teacher says the SPIN guides could provide “a teaching format for when we branch out to inexperienced growers.”

Public School, Municipal & State Policy Support

Local school districts

Adopted by the District 202 Board of Education (Evanston Township High School) and District 65 in 2009

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES RESOLUTION WHEREAS, District 65 and District 202 serve approximately 4,000 reimbursable meals per day (1,000 reimbursable meals from D202) of which about 75 percent (70% at D202) are subsidized by the federal government to ensure that low-income children receive the nutrition needed to enhance the capacity to learn; and

WHEREAS, the districts’ “free” and “reduced” meal programs are administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National School Lunch Program; and

WHEREAS, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 states “each local education agency participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966

24 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) shall establish a local school wellness policy for schools under the local educational agency; and

WHEREAS, both Districts 65 and District 202 have wellness committees created for the purpose of meeting these federal requirements; and

WHEREAS, District 65 and District 202 administrators recognize an improvement in the nutritional value of the school meal programs over the last five years; and

WHEREAS, this improvement is the result of USDA and food manufacturers responding to the demands of various constituencies; and

WHEREAS, the Obama administration promises to continue to improve federal nutrition programs in order to help “reduce hunger and poverty, prevent obesity, strengthen schools and child care programs, and boost children's health, development and school achievement;” and

WHEREAS, there are 2,016 farm-to-school programs nationwide, involving 2,039 school districts and 8,776 schools from 40 states in local efforts that build on the connection between healthy food, wellness and learning by fostering knowledge about how food is grown and prepared as a means to promote healthy eating habits; and

WHEREAS, at least 10 state governments have formed advisory food councils— inclusive stakeholder groups that seek to increase the percentage of food grown, processed, distributed and consumed within the boundaries of a particular state; and

WHEREAS, the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force has found that Illinois consumers spend approximately $48 billion in annual food expenditures, of which more than 95 percent is “exported” out of state*; and

WHEREAS, the March 2009 report of the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force is the basis for the Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act of 2009 (IL House Bill 3990) which aims to “facilitate the growth of an Illinois-based local farm and food product economy that revitalizes rural and urban communities, promotes healthy eating with access to fresh foods, creates jobs, ensures a readily available supply of safe food in an emergency event, and supports economic growth through making local farm or food products available to all Illinois citizens;” and

WHEREAS, HB 3990 will support economic activities that will result in increased tax revenues for all units of government; and

WHEREAS, HB 3990 proposes establishment of the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council to foster development of a viable local food system marketplace that will enable institutions such as public schools, child-care facilities, and after-school programs to purchase 10% of food and food products from local sources by 2020;

RESOLVED that District 65 and District 202 thank our school community’s representatives in the Illinois General Assembly—Rep. Julie Hamos for being the champion of this statewide initiative and State Rep. Elizabeth Coulson and Sen. Jeff

25 Schoenberg for signing on as sponsors of HB 3990 which will assist Illinois school districts in developing partnerships necessary to increase the supply of quality food options for their students and also may assist districts in achieving their wellness goals;

RESOLVED that District 65 and District 202 ask our school community’s representatives in the U.S. Congress—Cong. Jan Schakowsky and U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Roland Burris—to support provisions in the reauthorization of the federal Child Nutrition Act of 2004 that will help ensure that all schools have the resources to serve fresh and healthy meals; provide high-quality nutrition education; and to engage their local communities in the development/implementation of effective wellness programs.

*Note: The current ISBE procurement guidelines state that a district may not limit a bid to the State of IL but can establish a geographic area by mileage. I.e. A bid could state that the District request fresh produce grown within 100 miles of Evanston. The District cannot spec the produce must come from the State of IL, Cook County, etc.

City of Evanston

1975—Farmers Market Established 2006-- Evanston Climate Action Plan (2006) and the City’s last Strategic Plan

Recent initiatives:

Neighborhood Garden and Urban Farm Application Here is the web page that has the information related to the neighborhood gardens and urban farms ordinance. http://www.cityofevanston.org/sustainability/food-cycle/neighborhood-gardens-urban- farms/

Bee Keeping If someone wants to get a permit to keep bees, below is the page for that. http://www.cityofevanston.org/business/permits-licenses/beekeeping/

Cottage Food License If someone wants to make foods in their home (maybe harvested from a neighborhood garden) and sold at a farmers market, here is the application for that: http://www.cityofevanston.org/cottage-food/

New Water Service If someone wants a NEW water service (for a lot with no working water service, such as an empty lot), here is the application for that: http://www.cityofevanston.org/assets/Water-Sewer-Worksheet.pdf

Building Permits For a larger site improvement (such as for an Urban Farm) a building permit is needed.

26 http://www.cityofevanston.org/business/permits-licenses/building-permit-process/

Backyard Hens

Ordinance allows up to 20 permits to own hens for eggs/pets http://www.cityofevanston.org/assets/23-O-10%20Hen%20ordinance%20w %20%20floor%20amendments.pdf

Eight Years of Illinois State Legislative Accomplishments

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance compiled the following list of 12 Illinois state laws support local food. They were passed between 2007 and 2014.

2007—Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Act (Sponsored by Rep. Julie Hamos and Sen. Jacqueline Collins)(PA: 95-0145)

Authorized creation of IL Local Organic Food Farm Task Force to produce recommendations for effective state response to strongest food trend in decades.

2009—Illinois Local Food Farms and Jobs Act (Sponsored by Rep. Julie Hamos and Sen. Jacqueline Collins)(PA: 96-0579)

Authorized creation of IL Local Food Farms Jobs Council to serve as a conduit between the people of Illinois and state government by facilitating projects and networks that promote local food demand, access, production and infrastructure.

2009 – Farm Fresh Schools Program Act (Sponsored by Rep. Sandy Cole & Sen. David Koehler) (PA: 96-0153)

Created the Farm Fresh Schools competitive grant program to be administered at the Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health in order to provide grants to farm-to-school projects to support healthy eating, obesity prevention and farmers.

2010—Farmers' Market Technology Improvement Program Act (Sponsored by: Rep. LaShawn Ford and Sen. Toi Hutchinson)(PA: 96-1088)

Created the farmers market technology improvement program to be administered by the Department of Human Services to help farmers market and similar nontraditional fresh food markets purchase the necessary infrastructure to accept Link card for the use of SNAP benefits for farm fresh food, pay transaction fees and engage in outreach.

2011— Farmers Market Task Force Bill (SB1492) (Sponsored by Sen. David Luechtefeld and Rep. Mike Bost)

27 Created the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Farmers Market Task Force to foster dialogue between food, farm and public health stakeholders and to assist the department in developing guidance and administrative rules regarding food safety issues at farmers markets.

2011—Cottage Food Law (Sen. David Koehler and Rep. Lisa Dugan) (PA: 97-0393)

Amended state food sanitation laws to allow farmers and entrepreneurs under certain conditions to process and package non-potentially hazardous baked goods, jams, jellies and dried herbs in their home kitchens for sale directly to consumer at farmers markets.

(More info: http://www.ilstewards.org/policy-work/illinois-cottage-food-law/)

2012—Farmers Markets and Convention Centers – (Sponsored by Rep. Renee Kosel and Sen. David Koehler)(PA: 97-1015)

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. It provides that the Department has the power and duty to encourage convention center boards throughout the State to provide convention center space at a reduced rate or without charge to local farmers' markets to use the space to hold the market when inclement weather prevents holding the market at its regular outdoor location.

2013—Rural On-farm Composting (Sponsored by Rep. Brad Halbrook and Sen. David Koehler) (PA: 98-0484)

Expanded the existing on-farm agricultural composting exemption to include agricultural wastes such as crop residue, animal bedding and up to 10% additives (food scrap and manure) in addition to landscape waste and creates an option for local government by ordinance to set smaller set-backs for agriculture composting operations than that set in state law.

2013—Urban Agriculture Composting (Sponsor Rep. Robyn Gabel and Sen. Heather Steans)(PA: 98-239)

Created an exemption from EPA waste disposal laws for community gardens to accept from off-site and compost up to 25 cubic yards of compostable materials to use on-site as soil amendments. Creates an on-farm urban composting exemption (similar to the rural on-farm exemption) that allows local governments to create ordinances for the purpose of supporting urban agriculture composting for those community gardens and urban agriculture projects are composting more than 25 cubic yards

2013—Eat Local Buy Illinois Day (Sponsored by Sen. David Koehler and Rep. Sam Yingling)(PA: 98-0341)

28 Designates the first Saturday of each month as Eat Local, Buy Illinois Products Day. It directs the Department of Agriculture's Illinois Product Logo Program to assist in increasing awareness and sales of Illinois food and agribusiness products.

2014—Smarter Rules for Farmers Markets (Sponsored by Rep. Michael Tryon and Sen. David Koehler)(PA: 98-0660)

Instructed the IDPH Farmers Market Task Force to create streamlined and consistent statewide food sanitation rules and regulations for farmers markets and to create a new Food Sampling Certificate program for vendors at farmers markets to more easily offer samples of their products. The bill also capped the registration fees local health departments can charge cottage food operations at $25/year and created new product origin transparency rules for farmers markets to help consumers identify locally grown farm products.

2014—Food/Grocery type Co-op Financing Reform (Sponsored by Sen. Don Harmon and Rep. Barbara Wheeler) (PA: 98-1122)

Increased from 5 to 10 the number of shares for which a person may subscribe or control as part of membership to a grocery store type cooperative business. Increased from $100 to $1,000 the maximum subscription price per share and increased from $500 to $10,000 the maximum value of stock issued to any one shareholder.

The following five legislative resolutions supporting local food were adopted between 2010-2014:

2010—House Joint Resolution 57 (Rep. Bill Black and Sen. Mike Frerichs)

Urged the Illinois Department of Public Health to create a farmers market task force.

2010–Senate Joint Resolution 105 (Sen. David Koehler)

Urged the Department of Agriculture to establish Driftwatch in IL, a database meant to help protect specialty crops, apiaries, vineyards and organic farms from pesticide drift.

2012—House Resolution 734 (Rep. Kelly Burke)

Encouraged the IL Congressional delegation to support local food provisions in the federal Farm Bill.

2012—Senate Resolution SR 530 (Sen. David Koehler)

Encouraged the IL Congressional delegation to support local food provisions in the federal Farm Bill.

2014—House Resolution 1093 (Rep. Robyn Gabel)

29 Advocated that the Governor’s Office coordinate the networking capability of six state entities--the Illinois Commission to End Hunger; the Illinois Commission on the Eradication of Poverty; the Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council; the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service; the Illinois Task Force of Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Enterprise; and the Illinois Business Development Council. These entities possess networking capability to support community-based food, nutrition, and Ag initiatives designed to reduce hunger/poverty.

What to Do About Washington?

Federal programs funding local food initiatives include various departments—e.g. Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, and even Defense—as well as such agencies as Environmental Protection and the Small Business Administration.

Federal impediments to local food system development start with the food safety regulatory regime. Several years ago, Illinois activists sought state level reform through “risk appropriate” measures affecting the sale of certain products at farmers

30 markets. Progress is slow due to resistance from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Cook County Department of Public Health and others. Advocates observed that public health agencies appeared locked into the archaic thinking that “only food in a can is safe.”

Governmental agencies’ failure to readily accept “risk appropriate” food safety measures may be directly attributable to what experts view as the “broken” federal regulatory system. Consider the following excerpts from Wil S. Hylton’s Feb. 2, 2015 New Yorker article “A Bug in the System: Why last night’s chicken made you sick:”

“In the U.S., responsibility for food safety is divided among fifteen federal agencies. The most important, in addition to the [U.S.D.A.’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (F.S.I.S.),] is the Food and Drug Administration, in the Department of Health and Human Services. In theory, the line between these two should be simple: the F.S.I.S. inspects meat and poultry; the F.D.A. covers everything else. In practice, that line is hopelessly blurred. Fish are the province of the F.D.A.—except catfish, which falls under the F.S.I.S. Frozen cheese pizza is regulated by the F.D.A., but frozen pizza with slices of pepperoni is monitored by the F.S.I.S. Bagel dogs are F.D.A.; corn dogs, F.S.I.S. The skin of a link sausage is F.D.A., but the meat inside is F.S.I.S.”

“The current structure is there not because it’s what serves the consumer best. It’s there because it’s the way the system has grown up.” Elisabeth Hagen, a former head of the F.S.I.S

“Everybody would agree that if you were starting on a blank piece of paper and designing the food-safety system for the future, from scratch, you wouldn’t design it the way it’s designed right now.” Mike Taylor, F.D.A.’s top food-safety official

Where do we start from scratch?

The U.S. “needs more explicit policies at all levels of government involving food, nutrition and agriculture. For generations, this has been exclusive domain of agriculture and the business aspects of food. In recent years, the health community has begun to bring forth the nutrition agenda. These and many other things need to be tied together through an overarching food policy. This new policy framework will have the greatest traction if it comes from the grassroots.”

Illinois state senator Daniel Biss

Resources State/Federal/Local

IL Farmers Market Association - http://ilfarmersmarkets.org/ The Band of Farmers: Chicagoland CSA Coalition - www.bandoffarmers.org ISA' Cottage Food Site - http://www.ilstewards.org/policy-work/illinois-cottage-food- law/

31 ISA Farm-Direct Legal Guide (in English and in Spanish) - http://www.ilstewards.org/ policy-work/direct-farm-marketing-legal-guide/ IDPH's Food Safety at Farmers Markets Guide -http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/fdd/ ILFarmersMrktFoodSafety.pdf IL Direct Farm Business Legal Guide - http://www.directfarmbusiness.org/ ATTRA National Sustainable Agriculture Information Services - www.attra.ncat.org University of IL Extension is always a good resource for gardening and composting Farm Commons - www.farmcommons.org National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition - http://sustainableagriculture.net/ NSAC's Grassroots Guide to the Farm Bill - http://sustainableagriculture.net/ publications/grassrootsguide/ Illinois Farm to School - Seven Generations Ahead - https:// sevengenerationsahead.org/schools/farm-to-school-overview

TO ADD:

1. Dick, you had a local list from Debbie Hillman that needs updating? (EFE)

2. List of EFE Board of Directors (EFE)

3. Excel spread sheet with info on 15 interviewees (Bob)

32