A Farm and Food System Dominated by Corporate Interests at the Expense of Farmers and Communities
We are surrounded by a sea of corn and beans because there is an entire incentive structure to support it. Farmers have limited opportunities to diversify, with steep barriers preventing them from doing so. The vast majority of those crops are exported out of state as part of a global, farm and food system operating to drive profits for corporations… all at the expense of farmers and communities.
We didn’t get this system overnight.
The system we inherited today has developed over several centuries and is the direct result of public policy decisions.
Who grows food, how food is produced, who has access to food, and what ends up on your plate—these are all decisions affected by government rules, regulations, incentives, and budgets. These public policies are determined by who has power; not all have been afforded an equal opportunity at power, a voice, or sovereignty over their well-being.
23 million
acres of Illinois farmland, yet
95%
of what makes it to our plates is imported
Every bite of food is determined by policy
How do we know this system isn’t working for Illinois?
With food options that seemingly appear at the click of a button, in a state boasting of being able to feed the world– how is it possible that the system isn’t working?
Independent farmers of all kinds struggle to make ends meet.
An unfair playing field makes it difficult, if not impossible, for independent and family farms and meat and food processors to compete in the market.
Family farms, which make up about 98% of all farms, face multiple obstacles preventing many from even considering a shift toward more regenerative practices. They are compelled to increase yield at all costs and “get big or get out.”
That’s because independent farms operate in a regulatory framework that’s meant for industrial agriculture. The structure, incentives, markets, and infrastructure of our current food and farm system prioritize feeding the world, but not our communities.
Farmers face steep barriers preventing them from farming outside of the industrial framework:
- high cost of entry, production and labor
- direct market challenges
- infrastructure gaps (cold storage, distribution, processing)
As a result:
- Fewer farmers are entering the workforce
- Fewer family and independent food and farm businesses stay in production
- Fewer local food options, and from fewer sources
Our communities aren’t nourished in this system.
Local food options become more limited as global food production grows, resulting in over-production of high-calorie, low-nutrient food products that cause diet-related diseases and suffering from the most basic of human necessities: food.
A system driven by maximizing profits creates a dominating market for inexpensive, ultra-processed food products produced by big-box brands that outcompete locally sourced “whole” foods.
That’s why we see so many products from familiar brands on the shelves of our grocery stores, and the same fast food establishments in every neighborhood. Many communities across the state are located in areas considered both food swamps and food deserts, rife with high-calorie, low nutrient options with little to no nutritious food options.
That’s because a global, corporate-controlled food system may provide short-term benefits for some, but it’s unable to nourish our communities for the long-term.
>50%
More than half of the state’s population is suffering from a chronic disease.
Caused by
- Lack of affordable nutrient-dense food options, especially in communities of color
- Steep barriers for small local food businesses to enter the market
- Inadequate food procurement standards
- Lack of transparency in labeling
Illinois’ soil, water and air quality is suffering in this system.
Industrial agriculture practices rely on synthetic, fossil fuel-derived inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. When applied, these substances runoff, erode, and deplete our soil, pollute our drinking water, and further drive biodiversity loss.
Industrial scale concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) create specific challenges when it comes to air and water quality.
The impacts of industrial agriculture practices on the environment are only made worse by the climate crisis.
INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE relies on
- chemical inputs derived from fossil fuels
- large-scale, monoculture operations
WHICH LEADS TO
- soil erosion
- excessive greenhouse and methane emissions
- polluted drinking water
- disrupted ecosystems and biodiversity loss
- toxic agricultural waste
A healthier, regenerative, equitable food and farm system is possible– and it’s already underway
In the past 50 years, there has been tremendous progress toward sustainable agriculture and thriving local food systems
- Demand for local food has skyrocketed.
- There’s been a surge in the supply of locally grown food available.
- Illinois has over 2,000 direct market farmers producing all sorts of local food from specialty crops to grain and livestock.
- Urban communities across the state have experienced a renaissance in urban farms, community gardens, and indoor farming.
- More Illinois farmers than ever practice sustainable agriculture that builds soil health.
Learn more about how the Alliance is leading the way. [link to programs]
You can make an immediate impact to transform our food and farm system.
Make a gift to build a food and farm system that works for all Illinoisans.
