Kane County unveils Local Food Network and Market Coordination Plan to boost local markets

County planning staff on July 23 introduced a new Local Food Network and Market Coordination Plan intended to strengthen Kane County’s local-food marketplace and support growers.

"This is going to be focused on identifying strategies that will support increased local food production and access," County planner Matt Tansley told the committee, describing a two-phase project that will include a local food landscape assessment, market-focused analysis of consumer demand, engagement with regional buyers such as grocery stores and distributors, and farmer workshops to test recommendations. Tansley said the plan builds on prior work — including a food-hub feasibility study, a 2017 prescription-produce pilot with Rush Copley Medical Center, and a 2018 juvenile-justice center farm-to-school curriculum — and aims to be attentive to equity and access.

Tansley said the team is pursuing funding to complete the work, noting a USDA Local Food Promotion Program planning grant application near $99,000 is pending and awards should be announced in September. Committee members asked detailed questions about funding stability, land-access barriers, and prior zoning changes (F1/F2 districts) intended to reduce barriers for growers; staff singled out land cost, infrastructure needs (hoop houses, livestock shelters) and proximity requirements for specialty crops and livestock as leading constraints.

If funded, staff said the project would produce actionable market strategies and convene regional buyers and growers to improve local food distribution and sales.