2021 Increasing Food Access Report
2021 was a banner year for Illinois agriculture, as Illinois farmers reported record crop yields. That is, yields of corn and soy reached record highs, crops which are exported or used to produce ethanol, sweeteners, livestock feed, cooking oil, biodiesel fuel.... At the same time, Illinois imported 95% of the foods we eat, adding greatly to our carbon footprint, while subtracting greatly from Illinoisans’ ability to feed ourselves.
Ours is, indeed, a food-insecure state. And yet, we are glad to report on the broad awareness gained in 2020–both by the public and the government–of the devastating consequences of food insecurity when food supply chains fail, not just for those living in low-income communities, but for all Illinoisans.
In 2021, this awareness translated into local, state, and federal budgets expanding their funding for Link Up Illinois so that SNAP recipients could purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets and grocery stores. Simultaneously, an awareness grew about the need to support the growth and expansion of Illinois’ food-producing farms and distribution chains to supply those markets and stores.
With increased resources, longstanding partnerships, new collaborations, and the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, Experimental Station was able to expand, deepen, enhance, and—in some cases—simply return to some of our food access work. We are thrilled to report on Link Up Illinois’ ability to provide increased Link Match funding to our partners, extension of Link Match to corner stores, and the impacts of Link Match across the state. We are proud of our 61st Street Farmers Market’s impact as we bring fresh and healthy foods as well as food education to our South Side community. And we are excited to report on Experimental Station’s work bringing SNAP and healthy food access to farmers markets located in neighborhoods across Chicago.
Looking back over 15 years, we see our work to ensure affordable access to fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income Illinoisans coming to scale. On the horizon, we see great potential for a shift in Illinois’ agricultural landscape, thanks to the support of our many partners and collaborators. In the coming year, we will advocate for the development of an Illinois plan to increase the production, aggregation, and distribution of fruits and vegetables here in our state. As always, we hope that you will join us in these efforts!
Connie Spreen, PhD
Executive Director
Experimental Station
