Illinois Department of Agriculture 2014 Farmers Market Forums
Specialty Crop Block Grant Update
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) The purpose of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). The agency, commission, or department responsible for agriculture within the 50 States and territories are eligible to apply for grant funds directly to the USDA.
Illinois Specialty Crop Grant Program Grant funds will not be awarded for projects that solely benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Single organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners. List of past Illinois projects www.agr.state.il.us/grants/recipients.html
Illinois Specialty Crop Grant Program Examples of Unacceptable Projects A company requests grant funds to purchase starter plants or equipment used to plant, cultivate, and grow a specialty crop for the purpose of making a profit, or to expand production of a single business. A State requests grant funds to make grants to individual specialty crop businesses or roadside stands to promote their individual business. A sole proprietor requests grant funds to redesign her/his logo in order to make her/his specialty crop value-added product stand out at the local farmers market. A company that develops specialty crop value-added products requests funds to train its employees how to make its valueadded products. A specialty crop producer requests funds to promote their asparagus at a roadside stand.
Examples of Acceptable Projects Illinois Specialty Crop Grant Program A State requests funding to contract with a university to conduct research on the feasibility of planting, cultivating, and growing a specialty crop in a particular area, the results of which can be shared with many growers throughout the State. A single grower requests funds to demonstrate the viability of organic small fruit production and partners with Cooperative Extension to publicize the working model of diversification to other regional growers. A single company requests funds to provide a viable pollination alternative to specialty crop stakeholders in the region, which currently does not have one. A single specialty crop organization requests funds to conduct an advertising campaign that will benefit their specialty crop members. A single farmer erects high tunnels on their property to extend the growing season of tomatoes and lettuce and conducts a field day and farm tour to encourage other small family farmers to adopt the production methods.
2014 Illinois Specialty Crop Grant Program Proposal Deadline May 1, 2014 www.agr.state.il.us/grants/specialtycrops.html
Market Managers- Remember to Update Your Listing!
Producers- Be sure you are listed too!
IL Department of Agriculture Branding Programs
Illinois Department of Agriculture Consumer Attitudes Toward Buying Local 66% of consumers surveyed purchased local to support local economies 30% said they would shop elsewhere if local wasn t an option 70% are willing to pay more for local products Trust is a huge issue with consumers- greenwashing local Buying from a locally owned business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation and less packaging *Buying Into the Local Movement, A.T. Kearney: January 2013
Illinois Department of Agriculture Benefits of Branding Local Helps consumers easily identify locally made/grown products $0.45 of every $1 spent with a local business stays in a community, $0.13 of every dollar spent with a national chain stays in the community Kentucky s state labeling program has brought in over $250 million in retail sales since 2010
Illinois Department of Agriculture Illinois Demographics Illinois has over 375 farmers markets 2,500 small to mid-sized food and agribusinesses Over 6,000 specialty crop growers More than 5,200 specialty livestock farmers
IDOA Logo Programs
Illinois Products Logo The Illinois Department of Agriculture has operated the program since 1987 The logo identifies products in grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers markets across the state The logo is a registered trademark and can be used by any eligible food or agribusiness company in Illinois
Illinois Where Fresh Is Logo Through grant funding, and in cooperation with the IL Specialty Growers Association, the Illinois Where Fresh Is logo was created to identify specialty crops in grocery stores, farmers markets, and roadside stands across the state
2014 Promotions In cooperation with CBS2 in Chicago, a statewide specialty crop promotional campaign is continuing in 2014 The campaign will again include: - Television - Radio - Billboards
2013 Promotions- Phase 1 IDOA awarded Where Fresh Is promotional kits to 200 grocery stores and 100 farmers markets across the state to further the message Returned surveys reported a 10-50% increase in Illinois produce sales
2014 Promotions- Phase 2 IDOA will expand the promotion to 125 additional farmers markets, grocery and specialty stores 2013 recipients will receive additional Buy Illinois Challenge signage
Buy Illinois Challenge This challenges every household in Illinois to dedicate $10 of their existing weekly grocery budget to the purchase of Illinois Products If every Illinois household (4.7 million) takes the challenge to dedicate just $10 weekly -- we can generate $2.4 billion annually! www.buyillinoischallenge.com
Thank you for your time! Questions? Kendra Schilling 217.524.3297 kendra.schilling@illinois.gov