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Successful Illinois EATS program faces uncertainty
The executive director of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association says the state’s successful Illinois EATS program faces an uncertain future.
Raghela Scavuzzo says the program has provided increased market opportunities for farmers and much needed food for communities.
“That is funded through the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program.” She says, “It really has allowed the opportunity to expand our wholesale markets, which was what we wanted to see. Wholesale markets are our larger distribution. It allows farms to scale up. It’s a really nice boost in market pricing. What’s wonderful about this is it also goes into emergency feeding programs.”
She tells Brownfield numerous stakeholders have made the program a success, but a major unknown heading into 2025 is future USDA funding under a new administration.
“Now the question is, is how do we keep the momentum going?” She says, “What’s great is because it’s run by the Department of Agriculture here in the state, they’re looking for long term sustainability, so if this program were for some reason to run out of federal funding, we’re talking about, what does it look like in a slight change for the state to continue moving that way?”
Scavuzzo says state officials realize the impact of the program even in its early stages.
“This is just the tip.” She says, “This was the point that we’re at, this very nice moment, that we’re going to see forward movement that really is going to kind of hopefully change our food system works.”
However, she says the state’s projected $3.2 billion deficit means there’s funding uncertainty at the state level as well.
AUDIO: Raghela Scavuzzo – IL Specialty Growers Association
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