Local Producers Panel

The board’s efforts to understand the local food system
continues. . . . Our February meeting was fantastic!! A panel of three
producers answered questions from the board and the audience relating
to food production and farming in Central Illinois. Twenty-nine coop
members attended (!), and the meeting resulted in a great deal of
discussion about our local food system that continued long after the
meeting adjourned.

The panel comprised Jon Cherniss from Blue Moon Farm in rural
Urbana, Stan Schutte from Triple S Farms near Stewardson (Shelby
county), and Karen and Mark Linder, who farm near Ludlow in Champaign
county. The discussion ranged widely and included: possible reasons
why more farmers aren’t growing and marketing meat and produce in
Central Illinois, the possibilities for shared food processing
facilities and cooperative/collaborative food distribution
strategies, and conventional farming and marketing practices.
Our
next meeting is Monday, March 8th, and we will hear from a panel of
local producer/processors about the realities of creating value-added
products for the local market. We hope you will join us!

Cathe Capel