Roadmap to Resilience: Transforming Illinois’ Food System

For years, Experimental Station has voiced our concern that Illinois is a severely food insecure state, importing more than 95% of the foods we eat. This, despite being one of the country’s leading agricultural states. Out of that concern grew our suggestion for Illinois to create a plan to rebuild the state’s food system, such that Illinois farmers would produce more foods that we can eat (rather than industrial corn or soybeans) and have the infrastructure and markets to process, distribute, and sell their products.

In November, the Illinois Department of Human Services engaged Experimental Station to lead this effort. Embracing a grassroots, collaborative approach, we formed a Task Force composed of leaders of seven food-advocacy organizations and launched the development of the Illinois Food System Roadmap.

In the first phase of a multi-year initiative, we engaged over 300 food system stakeholders from across the state to understand what is already working in Illinois’ food system, where critical gaps and needs remain, and what innovative solutions might be implemented. Clear themes emerged: stakeholders see a need for education across the food system and are eager for connection and collaboration.

As the process has evolved, so have the questions: What will it really take to create the conditions for lasting change? How can we avoid replicating past, unsuccessful attempts to rebuild Illinois’ food system? One thing is clear—this Roadmap cannot simply be another report. Rather, it must serve as a dynamic organizing tool—one that activates, unites, and sustains a movement across regions and communities.

With a mission rooted in building cultural infrastructure and with deep investments in food security and access, Experimental Station is proud to steward this work. We are energized by the momentum and look forward to seeing where the Roadmap will lead....