Illinois announces millions in funding for food infrastructure and grocery stores

Illinois is deploying significant funding to strengthen the state's food supply chain and improve grocery access. The Department of Agriculture has awarded over $3.5 million in local food infrastructure grants to 61 organizations. This program aims to assist local farmers and food businesses with processing and distribution capabilities. Notable projects include a $205,000 collaboration to enhance growing capacity for community farms in Chicago and a mobile poultry processing unit for small farms in Shelby County.

Additionally, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced over $26 million in available funding through the Illinois Grocery Initiative. This includes $20.8 million for new stores and $750,000 for equipment upgrades. A new $4.5 million Grocery Rescue Program has also been launched to help reopen grocery stores that closed within the last year, specifically targeting efforts to prevent the formation of food deserts in low-access areas.