What We're Working On» March 2025

National Agriculture Day celebrates the contributions of farmers and the farm products they grow and raise. In celebration of farmers, Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton of Glenview introduced Resolution 25-1792, which recognizes and celebrates National Agriculture Day.

Resolution Commissioners Frank Aguliar, Alma Anaya, John Daley, Bridget Degnen, Bridget Gainer, Bill Lowry, Dr. Kisha McCaskill, Donna Miller, Stanley Moore, Josina Morita, Kevin Morrison, Sean Morrison, Anthony Quezada, Michael Scott Jr., Tara Stamps, and Maggie Trevor are co-sponsors of the resolution.

In addition to celebrating the abundance of Cook County agriculture, the resolution highlights agriculture’s impact on the local community, including that agriculture and agriculture related industries support over 110,000 jobs and generate over $15.4 billion in value-added.

The resolution provides:

WHEREAS, Illinois is home to more than 72,000 farms, 94 percent of which are family-owned; and

WHEREAS, Agriculture includes the growing, raising, and harvesting of crops for both human and animal consumption as well as the raising of livestock; and

WHEREAS, Cook County agriculture and related industries support over 110,000 jobs and generate over $15.4 billion in value-added; and

WHEREAS, Cook County is home to nearly 11,000 acres of farmland according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture; and

WHEREAS, Cook County agriculture includes vegetable, floriculture, honey production, grain, nursery, and row crop production as well as livestock; and

WHEREAS, Cook County’s agricultural landscape includes horses, ponies, mules, burros, and donkeys; and

WHEREAS, Cook County is ranked first in the state for equine production with a sales volume of over $2.2 million; and

WHEREAS, Cook County also leads the state in honey sales; and

WHEREAS, Cook County ranks twelfth in the state for nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod production; and

WHEREAS, Cook County is home to numerous examples of urban agriculture including the raising, cultivation, processing, marketing, and distribution of food in urban and suburban settings; and

WHEREAS, Urban agriculture generally involves outdoor and indoor vertical production, indoor warehouse farms, greenhouses, rooftop farms, hydroponic and aquaponic facilities; and

WHEREAS, 97 Cook County farms are certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture; and

WHEREAS, many Cook County farmers sell directly to consumers at farmstands, roadside markets, farmers markets, and through community support agriculture; and

WHEREAS, Cook and Illinois farmers grow healthy and nutritious food; and

WHEREAS, Farmland is a finite resource that is vital to agriculture, food production, and the economic well-being of Cook County; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners recognize March 18, 2025 as National Agriculture Day.

A tremendous thank you to Commissioner Britton and his staff for shepherding the resolution through the approval process and for recognizing the amazing contributions of Cook County agriculture!