Illinois Department of Agriculture Announces $3.6 Million in Grant Funds for Local Food Infrastructure
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced plans to distribute $3.6 million in fiscal year 2026 at the Everything Local Conference. The funds, which were appropriated in the fiscal year 2026 state budget, will be used to support local food processing, aggregation, and distribution. Grants will be available for collaborative projects from $1,000 to $250,000 and for individual projects from $1,000 to $75,000.
“Strong agriculture depends on strong infrastructure,” said IDOA Director Jerry Costello II. “The Local Food Infrastructure Grant program gives Illinois farmers the processing, aggregation, and distribution capacity they need to ensure Illinois-grown food can reach consumers.”
Applications for grant funding are available on the Illinois Department of Agriculture website.
"With food prices rising across Illinois, investing in local food infrastructure is no longer optional; it’s essential,” said State Representative Sonya Harper (D-Chicago), Chair of the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee. “We created this program to strengthen our farmers, shorten the supply chain, and ensure Illinois families can access affordable, locally grown food. I’ve spent my career fighting to move our state from food deserts and fragile systems toward real, durable solutions, and this investment helps put that vision into action."
Eligible applicants include Illinois residents who store, process, package, aggregate or distribute value-added agricultural products or plan to do so. These entities must meet one of the following criteria:
- Illinois farm or cooperative with fewer than 50 employees
- Illinois slaughter and/or processing facility with fewer than 50 employees. Slaughter and/or processing facilities must be USDA or state licensed or be a custom-exempt slaughter and/or processing facility
- Illinois food business with fewer than 50 employees
- Illinois food hub with fewer than 50 employees
- Illinois nonprofit organization
- Illinois unit of government
To encourage further expansion of the local food industry, all grant funding must be used for purchasing, leasing to own, renting, building or installing infrastructure related to the processing, storage, aggregation, or distribution of value-added agricultural products.
Additional information is available here.