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ILLINOIS SPECIALTY CROP GRANT PROGRAM

Proposal Deadline: March 15, 2012 - 4:00 p.m.

Please check this website as any future funding announcements will be posted here.

Previous Specialty Crop Grant Recipients

Fiscal Year / Market Season	Federal Fiscal Year	Grantee	Amount	Purpose
2004		Downtown Springfield, Inc. (Old Capital Farmers Market)	$7,000	For advertising and promotion costs associated with the Old Capitol Farmers Market.  Grant funds will specifically be used for light-pole banners, billboards and radio, print and Internet advertisements.
2004		Laun Farms	$4,000	NOT FUNDED
2004		Arthur Area Association of Commerce	$2,500	To purchase advertising space promoting the farmers market.
2004		First Fruits Produce Co.	$10,000	To develop a website and marketing plan including the development of brochures and advertisements
2004		Hudson Farm	$6,000	To develop a logo, brochure and seasonal posters as well as community media notices.  In addition, grant funds can be used to develop an advertising plan and purchase advertising space.
2004		Clark's Greenhouse	$11,100	For promotional and advertising costs including brochure and survey printing costs, website development, advertising costs and minimal advertising costs associated with trade show expenses.
2004		Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market	$4,600	Design and printing of flyers, posters and advertisements to promote the Bloomington Farmers Market.
2004		Midwest Greenhouse	$25,000	Fees associated with the marketing and promotion of the bell peppers.
2004		Pure Prairie Nursery	$5,000	For the development of a website to promote the production and use of native Illinois prairie plant materials.
2004		Spence Farms	$23,000	To purchase of materials needed for the establishment of a variety of specialty crops to establish educational plots at the farm; for advertising, printing, marketing and website development; creation of educational materials for visitors and minimal costs associated with organic certification.
2004		CHIC Farmers Market[2]	$7,000	NOT FUNDED
2004[3]		Chicago Hydroponics	$8,900	NOT FUNDED
2004		Glen Oosterhoff	$6,000	To develop and print promotional items including truck signs and brochures promoting specialty crops at eight area farmers markets.
2004		Glenview "Certified" Farmers Market	$7,000	For advertising costs including banners, wooden sandwich boards, magnets and flyers.
2004		Kankakee Co. Farmers Market	$7,000	To provide for promotional materials (banners, signs, flyers) and advertising costs (radio, flyers)for the Kankakee County Farmers Market.
2004		Klein's Farm & Garden Market	$15,400	To create brochures and purchase advertising.
2004		Lamb of God Farm	$20,000	To write and distribute press releases, develop a database of media contacts, contact media representatives and create an educational and promotional campaign using local media sources.
2004		Woodstock Farmers Market	$7,000	To create a website, newsletter, pamphlet, radio and newspaper ads and to purchase advertising space.
2004		Village of Bartlett	$7,000	To design and print a grower's guide, advertising expenses and other promotional items relating to the promotion of the grantee's farmers market.
2004		Village of Orland Park	$7,250	To produce a television segment and other advertising promoting the grantee's farmers market.
2004		Sullivan Area Economic Development Association	$4,050	For advertising and printing costs associated with the development of a farmers market.
2004		The Great Pumpkin Patch	$3,000	To help with advertising costs.
2004		Nature's Bounty Greenhouses	$5,000	To obtain marketing and promotion assistance.
2004		Benton Farmers Market	$4,000	For the creation of promotional fliers and weekly newspaper and radio advertising.
2004		JED's Farm	$8,317	For advertising, promotion and signage related to selling the plasticulture strawberries.
2004		Eckert's Country Store & Farms	$10,000	For advertising and promotional expenses associated with their "Growing Country Memories Every Day" brand marketing campaign including billboards, television, radio and print advertisement production and advertising time.
2004		DuQuoin Farmers Market	$2,800	For advertising and promotion expenses including radio and newspaper advertisements and the production and distribution of fliers.
2004		Shawnee Winery Cooperative	$25,000	For promotional and advertising expenses including billboards, brochure production, radio and newspaper advertising and website development.
2004		Illinois Herb Association	$6,000	For graphic design and copy writing to create a logo and brochure, to create a website, secure advertising for four professional development meetings and to produce a quarterly newsletter.
2006		Belle Vue Farm	$2,000	To help promote their maple syrup products.  Funds will be used to assist with radio and newspaper advertising as well as the development and production of brochures.
2006		Benton Farmers Market	$2,000	For development of promotional materials including signs, newspaper advertising and promotional flyers.
2006		Buxton's Garden Farm & Okaw Valley Orchard	$7,425	To help develop fliers, posters, newspaper inserts, brochures and other advertising.
2006		Curtis Orchard Ltd.	$17,300	For billboard, radio, television and newspaper advertising.
2006		Eckert's Inc.	$3,000	To develop brochures and posters promoting the orchard.
2006		Downtown Bloomington Association	$3,250	To help with the cost of printing fliers, brochures and advertisements to promote the farmers market.
2006		Downtown Springfield, Inc.	$25,000	For print, television and billboard advertising of the Old Capitol Farmers Market.
2006		Furrow Vineyard & Winery, Ltd.	$21,000	For design and placement of billboards, newspaper ads and fliers.
2006		Green Acres Herb Farm	$16,000	For signage, newspaper and television advertisements.
2006		Hudson Farm	$8,000	For print, radio and billboard advertising.
2006		Joe Ringhausen Orchards	$5,000	For radio, print and billboard advertising.
2006		Kankakee County Farmers Market	$8,000	For banners, fliers/signage, radio and newspaper advertising.
2006		M&G Foods	$4,083	For development of brochures, fliers, posters, billboards and newspaper ads.
2006		Prairie House Vineyard & Winery	$10,000	For development of a logo, labels, point of sale materials, brochures, fliers and signage.
2006		Savanna Cellars Winery & Vineyard Inc.	$23,860	For print advertising, development of a new brochure and a monthly newsletter.
2006		Schwartz Farms, LLC	$10,000	For billboard, newspaper and radio advertising as well as the development of brochures and additional advertising for special events at the farm.
2006		Shawnee Hills Wine Trail	$11,000	To help with the promotion of the wine trail through billboards.
2006		Shawnee Winery Cooperative	$10,000	For billboard, radio, newspaper and television advertising.  Some funds will also be used to create a new brochure.
2006		StarView Vineyards	$12,341.50	To develop a brand awareness campaign that will include the design of labels, brochures and additional advertising pieces.
2006		Stark County Farm Bureau	$900	To create a banner and advertisements for the farmers market.
2006		Tanners Orchard Ltd.	$9,539.44	To create a 4-page newsletter insert for inclusion in 30 local newspapers.
2006		Woodstock Farmers Market	$2,100	To help market vendors obtain food service sanitation training so they can sample their crops at farmers markets.
2008	06/07	Benton Farmers' Market	$  3,000.00	-- Print advertising -- printing of promotional fliers
2008	06/07	Grayslake Farmers Market, NFP	$  4,900.00	-- Promotional signs -- Banner -- Print advertising
2008	06/07	City of Mendota	$  3,591.00	-- Print advertising -- Radio advertising
2008	06/07	Stark County Farm Bureau / Wyoming Chamber of Commerce	$  3,200.00	-- Posters and inserts -- Weekly print ads -- Radio advertising
2008	06/07	Market on Main	$  1,600.00	-- Newspaper inserts -- Advertising flyers -- Signs
2008	06/07	PRIDE of Peoria, Inc.	$  6,500.00	-- Print advertising (excluding design & creation) -- Radio advertising -- Television advertising (excluding creation)
2008	06/07	Woodstock Farmers' Market NFP	$  4,525.00	-- Newspaper and magazine advertising -- Display posters
2008	06/07	Village of Bartlett	$  5,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Newsletter insert
2008	06/07	Village of Palestine	$  7,500.00	-- Newspaper advertising and inserts -- Radio advertising -- Television advertising -- Fliers -- Billboard -- Signs
2008	06/07	Village of Park Forest Farmers' Market	$  4,000.00	-- Signs
2008	06/07	Oswegoland Park District	$  5,600.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising -- Banners -- Signs (excluding brackets)
2008	06/07	JoDaviess County Farm Bureau	$  2,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Signs (excluding creation of)
2008	06/07	Logan Square Chamber of Commerce	$  5,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Flyers -- Signange -- (Excludes tote bags)
2008	06/07	Dundee Township Tourist Center	$  5,000.00	-- Advertising in Northwest Herald and other suburban Chicago newspapers
2008	06/07	City of Country Club Hills	$  4,339.00	-- Print advertising -- Banners
2008	06/07	Old Town Market	$  7,500.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Newspaper coupons -- Radio Advertising -- Mobile billboard
2008	06/07	Farmers Markets  26-1555931 (applied as Kankakee County Farmers Market)	$  7,500.00	-- Billboards
2008	06/07	Main Street Paris, Inc.	$  1,200.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising -- Banners
2008	06/07	Downtown Bloomington Association	$  5,500.00	-- Billboards
2008	06/07	DuQuoin Farmers Market	$  4,000.00	-- Print advertising -- Radio advertising -- Television advertising -- Fliers -- Signs -- Street banners (excluding brackets)
2008	06/07	Steeleville Farmers' Market - Village of Steeleville	$  5,379.00	-- Print advertising -- Radio advertising
2008	06/07	City of Park Ridge	$  4,000.00	-- Print advertising -- Radio advertising -- (Excludes Slide Show and Shopping bags)
2008	06/07	Carthage Area Chamber of Commerce	$  5,440.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Metal signs -- Billboard -- Sandwich sign -- Radio advertising -- Printing newspaper inserts (not stuffing fee) -- Street banners
2008	06/07	Quad City Fruit & Vegetable Growers Assoc.	$  5,000.00	-- Radio advertising -- Cable television advertising
2008	06/07	The Galena Territory Association	$  2,250.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Banners -- Fliers
2008	06/07	Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce & Industry	$  4,700.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising -- Television advertising -- Street banners
2008	06/07	Geneseo Farmers Market	$  4,500.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising -- Brochures -- Permanent signs
2008	06/07	Village of Campton Hill	$  2,800.00	-- 3x3 ad (5 month ad) -- Radio advertising (WSPY FM and WSQR, excluding WGN) -- Television advertising
2008	06/07	Farmer's Market of Carbondale, Inc.	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising -- Television advertising
2008	06/07	Frankfort Country Market, Inc.	$  4,500.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising
2008	06/07	Geneva Green Market, NFP	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising (excluding HS football game sponsorship) -- Brochure -- Posters -- (excludes mailer/bag stuffer/postage and business cards)
2008	06/07	Village of Elk Grove Village	$  2,478.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Placard -- Banner -- Posters -- (excludes stickers, bookmarks)
2008	06/07	City of Urbana	$  4,000.00	-- Television advertising (excludes production)
2008	06/07	Alton Marketplace Association	$  4,000.00	-- Billboard -- Banners
2008	06/07	Village of Huntley	$  4,000.00	-- Monthly and weekly print advertising
2008	06/07	Winfield Chamber of Commerce	$  3,800.00	-- Print advertising (monthly and periodic)
2008	06/07	Board of Trustees of the Univ. of IL on Behalf of the Edwards/Wabash Unit on Behalf of the Edwards/Wabash Farmers' Market	$  4,000.00	-- Print advertising -- Radio advertising
2008	06/07	Barrington Village Association	$      50.00	-- Posters
2008	06/07	Quad Communities Development Corporation	$  3,800.00	-- 1/4 page ad in local papers -- Banners
2008	06/07	Downtown Danville, Inc.	$  4,000.00	-- Print advertising -- Radio advertising -- Television advertising -- Banners
2008	06/07	Jacksonville Main Street Program	$  3,000.00	-- Print advertising (not to be used for prep/layout) -- Radio advertising (not to be used for prep/layout) -- Television advertising (not to be used for prep/layout)
2008	06/07	Rock Falls Chamber	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising -- Billboard -- Signage (not to include installation)
2008	06/07	Downtown Springfield, Inc.	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Fliers -- Posters -- Banner
2008	06/07	Vandalia Main Street Program	$  3,800.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Brochures
2008	06/07	The Land of Goshen Community Market	$  3,100.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Brochures
2008	06/07	Metamora Farmers' Market	$  3,458.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising (not to include radio remotes) -- Posters
2008	06/07	Taylorville Main Street, Inc.	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising (not to include remote speaker and call-ins)
2008	06/07	Main Street of Sterling, Inc.	$  3,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising (not to include remote speaker and call-ins)
2008	06/07	Kane Co. Farm Bureau	$  2,500.00	-- Promotional flyers and inserts
2008	06/07	Lombard Town Centre	$  2,000.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Market Signage -- (excludes streetpole banners)
2008	06/07	Dwight Main Street Program	$     390.00	-- Posters (printing only) -- Handouts (printing only) -- Newspaper advertising
2008	06/07	Village of Thornton	$  3,750.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Radio advertising -- Signs
2008	06/07	Downtown Neighborhood Assoc.of Elgin's Harvest Market	$  3,800.00	-- Newspaper advertising -- Postcard printing -- Signage/Banners
2008	06/07	Ridgeville Park District	$  1,500.00	-- Newspaper/magazine advertising -- Banners -- Signage
2008	06/07	Illinois Farm Bureau, Ag In The Classroom	$  6,225.00	Specialty Crop Educational Document (AITC Ag Mag)
2008	06/07	Agriculture & Tourism Partners of Illinois Association (ATPI)	$  6,225.00	Specialty Crop Industry Directory (ATPI Document)
2009	08	Aledo Main Street, Inc.	$  3,560.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Postcards -- Flyers
2009	08	Beardstown Main Street	$  5,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- TV
2009	08	Benton Farmers Market	$  3,922.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	Brookfield Chamber of Commerce	$  5,600.00	-- Newspaper -- Vendor packets and vendor banners -- Poster -- Signs
2009	08	Burr Ridge Park District	$  3,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Brochure
2009	08	Carlyle Lake Chamber of Commerce, Inc.	$  3,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Brochure (Flyer)
2009	08	City of Country Club Hills	$  2,650.00	-- Signs -- Reusable Bags - The bags CANNOT be sold. (max $800)
2009	08	City of Highland	$  5,250.00	-- Newspaper -- Brochure -- Radio -- Postcards
2009	08	City of Mendota Farmers Market	$  4,345.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	City of Urbana	$  7,500.00	-- TV
2009	08	Clinton Chamber of Commerce	$  2,900.00	-- Newspaper -- Brochure -- Radio -- TV
2009	08	Downtown Bloomington Association	$  6,740.00	-- Radio -- Billboard
2009	08	Downtown Springfield, Inc.	$  7,500.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Poster -- Signs
2009	08	Dundee Township Tourist Center	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper
2009	08	Dwight Main Street	$     531.00	-- Newspaper -- Posters -- Brochures
2009	08	East Moline Main Street	$  7,370.00	-- Newspaper -- Poster -- Brochure -- Printed Advertisements -- TV -- Signs -- Banners
2009	08	Edgebrook	$  4,520.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- TV -- Poster -- Brochure -- No Design Work
2009	08	Experimental Station	$  4,500.00	-- Newspaper -- Banner -- Flyers -- Posters
2009	08	Geneva Green Market, NFP	$  7,500.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Brochure -- Signs -- Posters
2009	08	Grayslake Farmers Market	$  7,500.00	-- Newspaper -- Signs -- Banner
2009	08	Green City Market	$  6,550.00	-- Brochure Printing
2009	08	Historic Quincy Business District	$  5,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- TV -- Billboard
2009	08	Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau	$  5,148.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Printed Advertisements (County Directory and Recipe Cards)
2009	08	Kane County Farm Bureau	$  4,750.00	-- Newspaper -- Billboard
2009	08	Main Street Golconda	$  5,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Reusable Bags - The bags CANNOT be sold.
2009	08	Midtown District, Inc.	$  7,284.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Banner
2009	08	Old Town Market	$  4,980.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Banner -- Flyers/Pamphlets/Posters
2009	08	Oswegoland Park District	$  5,600.00	-- Newspaper -- Banner
2009	08	Pana Chamber of Commerce	$  3,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	Paul Edward Kouri	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	Peoria Heights Chamber of Commerce	$  4,000.00	-- Radio
2009	08	Peoria RiverFront Association	$  7,500.00	-- TV -- Billboard -- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	Princeton Chamber of Commerce	$  2,750.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- Signs -- Brochure -- Chef Demos (food expenses only)
2009	08	Quad City Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- TV
2009	08	Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce	$  4,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- TV -- Billboards -- Signs
2009	08	Seguin Services, Inc.	$  2,540.00	-- Newspaper -- Banner (Street Pole Banners) -- No Design Work
2009	08	Shelbyville Farmers Market	$  3,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Brochure
2009	08	Staunton Farmers Market	$  1,900.00	-- Newspaper -- Signs
2009	08	Steeleville Farmers Market	$  2,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	Taylorville Main Street, Inc.	$  3,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	The Farmers Market of Carbondale, Inc.	$  5,098.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio
2009	08	The Greater Independence Park Neighborhood Assoc. (GIPNA)	$  4,400.00	-- Newspaper -- Banner -- Poster
2009	08	The Land of Goshen Community Market	$  5,000.00	-- Newspaper
2009	08	Town of Normal	$  7,500.00	-- Radio -- TV
2009	08	Village of Huntley	$  4,550.00	-- Newspaper -- Banner
2009	08	Village of Oak Park - Public Health	$  2,000.00	-- Posters (CTA) -- Print Advertising (Community Publication)
2009	08	Village of Schaumburg	$  5,364.00	-- Newspaper
2009	08	West Frankfort Civic Center Authority	$  4,300.00	-- Newspaper -- Radio -- TV
2009	08	Winfield Chamber of Commerce	$  2,000.00	-- Newspaper -- Print Advertisement
2009	08	Woodstock	$  3,000.00	-- Newspaper
2010	09	Belleville Main Street	$10,000.00	Farm to Table Program:  educational program targeting small number of students and their parents regarding speicalty crops,food safety, nutrition and cooking opportunities as well as a farm tour and farmers market experiences
2010	09	Benton Farmers Market	$  4,000.00	Farmers Market Educational Component Advertising (Newspaper, radio); Survey vendor & customers;
2010	09	Brookfield Chamber of Commerce	$10,000.00	Farmers Market Educational mobile display, advertising (newspaper, flyer, signs, reusable shopping bags)
2010	09	CBS Broadcasting, Inc.	$83,942.33	Buy Illinois?Choose Illinois campaign targeting Chicago market utilizing television and internet;  Ad campaign will utilize existing "IL Where Fresh Is" logo program, expand beyond Chicago land reach, generic specialty crop ads for use by multiple entities state wide such as direct markets and farmers markets; purchase airtime outside of Chicago.  Additional Funds will be utilized in cooperation and under the direction of the Illinois Department of Agriculture to provide coverage outsite the Chicago area.
2010	09	City of Urbana	$15,000.00	EAT HERE program at Farmers Market including television, radio, banners, brochures and Print Ads
2010	09	Clinton Chamber of Commerce	$  6,500.00	Family Nutrition program targeting specialty crops and area 4th grade students utilizing workshops, teacher in-service opportunities, meetings, classroom activities, pre- and post-tests, website, Meet the Grower opportunities, Market totes, radio, newspaper
2010	09	Comer Science & Education Foundation	$35,000.00	Project would transform a rooftop garden located in a food desert into a rooftop farm, grant funds would support teen internship program and supplies for the rooftop farm along with educational opportunities and materials.
2010	09	DeWitt County Human Resource Center	$  5,000.00	Garden plot project at a center for the developmentally disabled that demonstrates the use of shredded, recycled newspring as groundcover;  project will be used as a demonstration/educational site for other Centers for Developmentally Disabled as well as producing a report containing the results of the newsprint groundcover usage by the industry.
2010	09	Downtown Bloomington Association	$10,000.00	Partnering with #28 Normal to develop community wide outreach campaign utilizing television and radio; innovative ads utilizing vendors, specialty crop educational information and recipes in ads
2010	09	Eckert Orchards, Inc.	$20,000.00	Development of new apple cultivars especially adapted to the Midwest
2010	09	Edgebrook	$10,000.00	Learn Great Foods touring Group provide educational opportunity to provide educational experience to include information, recipes, cooking and tasting experiences at Farmers Market
2010	09	Evanston Community Development Corp.	$10,000.00	Farmers Market Educational Outreach (Fliers, posters, on-line & media coverage), equipment such as tents, tables, chairs to support beginning vendors to get started selling at market; Market signage and to produce printed materials.
2010	09	Geneva Green Market, NFP	$11,000.00	Farmers Market Kid's Corner educational program: print ads, radio, brochure, videos, website, newsletter
2010	09	Georgia C. Shank	$10,000.00	Construction of high tunnel with end season field day / farm tour
2010	09	Green City Market	$15,000.00	"Know Your Food?Know Your Farmer" Informational booklet highlighting farmers market vendors and nutrition information to large year-round farmers market in Chicago
2010	09	Green City Market	$10,000.00	Farmers Market:  Vendor survey & promotional activies; e-newsletter, chef/cooking program; CLUB SPROUT youth program, Banners, signs, promotional materials, brochures, tent, tables and printed materials to support CLUB SPROUT; printing of LOCALVORE KITS
2010	09	Harm Reduction Outreact DBA Total Health Awareness Team	$10,000.00	Farm to Family Educational Awareness Program; Outreach (newpaper, printed newsletter and director, radio and posters)
2010	09	Historic Quincy Business District	$10,000.00	Farmers Market educational program, workshop, advertising (print, radio, TV, social media), Marketing Plan Development, Producer Consulting and Grower Meeting
2010	09	Illinois Specialty Growers Assoc.	$22,162.38	Annual Conference (statewide and regional) of the vegetable, fruit, herb, organic producers along with farmers market and agritourism representatives;
2010	09	Illinois Stewardship Alliance	$10,000.00	Identify and anlyze local specialty crop food system in Central Illinois; promotional materials to support growth of the producers in the identified system
2010	09	Mount Carroll Chamber of Commerce	$  4,200.00	Farmers Market Educational Component Advertising:  Newspaper, radio, tent, sign, banner, flier & poster; cooperating with local Extension personnel for educational presentations
2010	09	Pana Chamber of Commerce	$  4,500.00	Farmers Market advertising (newspaper)
2010	09	Peasants' Plot	$10,000.00	High Tunnel demonstration and educational project comparing growth with and without high tunnel as well as comparison of commerically available high tunnel to beginner version with corresponding education component with outreach to other producers
2010	09	Spring Valley Farm & Vineyard	$10,000.00	High Tunnel demonstration and educational project utilizing drip irrigation and fertilizer injection systems, Demonstration site and field tour opportunities
2010	09	Sustain (dba FamilyFarmed.org)	$36,000.00	Ready to Grow project:  development of feasibiltiy study that evaluates a centralization facility in Central Illinois to combine producers supllies to allow for expansion into wholesale markets; identification of low cost GAP certification systems/program; Identification of other unknown barriers to producers expanding into the wholesale market by surveying various representatives of the industry;
2010	09	The Experimental Station	$10,000.00	Food Culture program in conjunction with the Woodlawn Buying Club, 61st St. Community Garden and Farmers Market; Educational Program, Culinary program, In-school programming, at market programming; located on the South Side Chicago
2010	09	Town of Normal	$10,000.00	Partnering with #12 Bloomington to develop community wide outreach campaign utilizing television and radio; innovative ads utilizing vendors, specialty crop educational information and recipes in ads
2010	09	U of I Warnock	$25,000.00	Impact and commercial acceptance of selected sustainable practices in highly mechanized floriculture crop production systems
2010	09	Woodstock Farmers Market NFP	$10,000.00	Farmers Market educational program  aimed at education customers about the availibility of locally grown specialty crops; educational opportunities regarding preservation techniques for specialty crops; promotional materials (posters, newspaper), nutritional handouts, booth at farmers market to distribute educational materials, signage identifying seasonal products, demonstrations,
2011	10	Peoria RiverFront Association	$10,000.00	Partner with the Peoria RiverFront Association to organize and implement a multi-media advertisement campaign to increase public awareness of the farmers market as well as the health and nutritional benefits of locally grown specialty crops
2011	10	Carlyle Lake Chamber of Commerce Inc	$10,000.00	Partner with the Carlyle Lake Chamber of Commerce to provide for advertisements and assistance with weekly educational demonstrations at a local farmers market as well as develop and distribute educational specialty crop usage handouts. Project staff will maintain records and the materials developed to ensure that the project solely enhances the competitiveness of specialty crops
2011	10	Jacksonville Main Street's Farmers Market on the Square	$6,700.00	Partner with Jacksonville Main Street to increase locally grown produce and specialty crop sales and awareness with greater potential for producer income as well as provide downtown residents, low-income citizens, visitors, and workers more convenient access to healthy food products through the implementation of a multi-media advertisement campaign
2011	10	Downtown Bloomington Association	$26,000.00	Partner with the Downtown Bloomington Association to increase awareness and sales of specialty crops at Uptown Normal's Trailside Market and the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market through a series of television/radio/online advertisements that will focus 100% on eligible specialty crops
2011	10	The Experimental Station	$10,000.00	Partner with the Experimental Station to create a variety of marketing materials for dissemination throughout the neighborhoods of Chicago, and provide an expansion of in-school and after-school educational outreach to local, low-income children and youth, to teach them the nutritional benefits, cultivation, and preparation of organic and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables; and provide ongoing incentives to LINK customers. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities
2011	10	Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association	$10,000.00	Partner with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association to expand the viticulture depth of knowledge dissemination at the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association's Annual Conference and Tradeshow through collaborating with neighboring state associations and communicating with experts within the field of viticulture
2011	10	Taylorville Main Street Inc.	$4,087.40	Partner with Taylorville Main Street to expand the consumption of Illinois specialty crops through an extensive advertising campaign in local media, which will increase both producer participation and sales of specialty crops at the farmers market. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities
2011	10	Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois	$9,648.00	Partner with the University of Illinois Extension to offer good agricultural practices and good handling practices training to specialty crop producers and retailers, including farmers market vendors as well as offer technical support to develop food safety plans for their specialty crop enterprises
2011	10	Mt. Carroll Chamber of Commerce	$8,546.00	Partner with the Mt. Carroll Chamber of Commerce to collaborate with Learn Great Foods to provide quality programs/demonstrations specific to locally grown specialty crops in order to improve child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops and implement a strategic specialty crop advertising campaign that includes print and radio advertising, banners, and fliers
2011	10	Village of Buffalo Grove	$9,984.00	Partner with Buffalo Grove Farmers Market to implement an advertising campaign in order to teach people about the nutritional benefits associated with Illinois-grown vegetables and encourage them to change their eating habits, which will foster the development of a positive perception associated with the consumption of locally grown vegetables
2011	10	Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University	$13,604.50	Partner with Southern Illinois University in Carbondale to implement a farm-to-school program whereby fresh fruits and vegetables will be processed during the summer months for a local school in an area that does not have a year-round growing season. Program results will be utilized to develop a case-study approach to working with interested school foodservice directors
2011	10	Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau	$7,583.00	Partner with Jo Daviess County to implement a marketing campaign that only advertises specialty crops at local farmers markets through printed advertising, radio advertising, billboards, and other advertising
2011	10	IAA Foundation	$10,000.00	Partner with the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom to develop a new Pumpkins Ag Mag to increase awareness of the specialty crop that is grown more widely in Illinois than any other state as well as introduce more students and consumers to the ideas of locally grown foods and the farmers that grow them
2011	10	Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois	$39,962.00	Partner with the University of Illinois to conduct research, demonstrations, and deliver educational programs on varieties, production practices, and pest management for tomatoes, peppers, and salad greens grown in high tunnels
2011	10	Jerry M. Mills	$23,472.00	Partner with Mills Apple Farm to develop a demonstration sweet cherry orchard in Illinois using slanted and trellised trees grown in high tunnels, which will be used to provide valuable information to interested producers in southwestern Illinois
2011	10	Batavia Main Street	$13,735.00	Partner with Batavia MainStreet to implement a professionally developed, integrated marketing campaign designed to bring awareness, education, and sales of Illinois specialty crops to Batavia, Illinois
2011	10	Champaign-Urbana Public Health Distric	$10,000.00	Partner with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to implement a social marketing, social media, and WIC client education campaign that promotes local specialty crop growers in the Champaign County region as well as the nutritional benefits of those crops. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities
2011	10	Village of Lemont	$6,245.00	Partner with the Village of Lemont to increase awareness and purchases of Illinois specialty crops offered by vendors at the Lemont Farmers Market through the implementation of targeted promotional efforts. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities
2011	10	Downtown Springfield Inc.	$10,000.00	Partner with Downtown Springfield to supplement a current advertisement campaign with the addition of promoting individual and familial purchase of specialty crops through the utilization of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
2011	10	FamilyFarmed.org	$35,000.00	Partner with FamilyFarmed.org to create a business plan for a pack house located in Central Illinois that aggregates, stores, markets, and distributes specialty crop products from area farms to Illinois wholesale buyers, and to establish a network of Illinois fruit and vegetable growers committed to scaling up production for this market
2011	10	The Land Connection Foundation	$26,220.00	Partner with the Land Connection Foundation to implement a training program that will professionally market and educate individuals, families, communities, and the general public about the importance of specialty crops in Illinois' agricultural economies
2011	10	Esther's Place / Lamb of God Farm	$8,680.00	Partner with Esther Place to educate students and teachers at local schools about the production and preparation of specialty crops in order to help the next generation understand vital aspects of specialty crop origins and nutritional information
2011	10	Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois	$16,108.00	Partner with the University of Illinois to facilitate the planning and launch of the Illinois Organic Growers Association and support the first year of educational and networking opportunities to Illinois specialty crop growers interested in organic and ecologically-oriented growing and marketing techniques. All project resources will be devoted to support of speakers and sessions serving organic specialty crop growers producing horticultural, fruit and nut crops using organic techniques
2011	10	Knox County Food Development Council	$50,000.00	Partner with the Knox County Food Development Council to provide education, resources, technical assistance, and market development for the local specialty crop food industry through a growers' incubator, food consolidator, advertisements for local specialty crops at farmers markets, season extension demonstrations, as well as market research into potential value-added processing of specialty crops. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities
2011	10	Geneva Green Market	$9,700.00	Partner with Geneva Green Market to promote their educational activities and Geneva Winter Market by creating instructional videos, a quarterly publication of news and events, website, an e-mail newsletter and newspaper and radio advertisements that solely promote specialty crops
2011	10	Illinois Stewardship Alliance	$10,000.00	Partner with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance to expand a marketing campaign to increase sales and consumption of central Illinois specialty crops and enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by providing product differentiation and product identification through an educational directory of producers, point-of-sale identification of local products, farmer profiles, and a series of events providing increased marketing opportunities for specialty crop producers
2011	10	Southern Sisters Spirits DBA Bobcat Hill Distillery	$10,950.00	Partner with Southern Sisters Spirits to define grapes which are the "Southern Stars" for growers, winemakers, distillers, food manufacturers, and others and develop in concert with them through the Shawnee Hills Winegrape Association a public education campaign showing how these grapes are local, sustainable, value-added, and are economically and culturally rewarding
2011	10	Central Illinois Agricultural Research Farms Inc.	$12,372.00	Partner with Central Illinois Agricultural Research Farms to develop and refine a vegetable production system that is sustainable and organic by documenting and recording all the costs, labor, profits, and procedures for organic vegetable production
2011	10	Lan-Oak Park District	$10,000.00	Partner with the Lan-Oak Park District to generate awareness of specialty crops and the District's farmers market by implementing a marketing campaign that includes the purchase of ads in local newspapers, banners, signs, and reusable shopping bags
2011	10	Annie's Project	$10,000.00	Partner with Annie's Project to provide farm women educational opportunities that will help them utilize small acre resources through the addition or expansion of specialty crop commodities to their production and marketing practices
2011	10	Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University	$57,017.00	Partner with Southern Illinois University to develop practical management strategies that increase the sustainability of Illinois wine grape production
2011	10	The Land of Goshen Community Market	$14,682.32	Partner with the Land of Goshen Community Market to create a "Market Sprouts" programs targeting customer children by providing activities promoting fresh, locally grown specialty crops in a centrally located area
2011	10	Village of Schaumburg	$7,829.00	Partner with the Village of Schaumburg to continue an existing advertising campaign for the Olde Schaumburg Centre Farmers Market. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities
2011	10	Chicago Defender Charities	$8,700.00	Partner with Chicago Defender Charities to educate the youth in the Englewood community by utilizing the Heritage Garden to produce vegetables and teach residents the importance of nutrition and healthy eating habits through meal planning that is inclusive of vegetables in their daily diet, and disseminate information regarding the benefits of embracing the green concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle and of eating locally grown produce
2011	10	Illinois Specialty Growers Association	$24,450.00	Partner with the Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Association to facilitate a conference in order to educate specialty crop producers in the management of their production and price risk, the development of food safety practices including good agricultural practices and good handling practices, the notification of consumers concerning the nutritional benefits of specialty crops for children and adults as well as buy-local campaigns, on disease and pest management control, as well as information concerning the production and marketing of organic produce
2011	10	National Agricultural Statistics Service	$30,000.00	Partner with the National Agricultural Statistics Service Illinois Field Office to conduct a 2010 Specialty Crops survey of roughly 3,000 specialty crop growers in order to assist in an estimation of the growth of the specialty crop industry in Illinois
2012	11	Illinois Specialty Growers Association	$26,500	Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism, and Organic Conference Partner with the Illinois Specialty Growers Association to organize the Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism, and Organic Conference, which is designed to assist 500 specialty crop producers in managing their production and price risk; educate specialty crop producers in developing "Good Agricultural Practices," "Good Manufacturing Practices," and "Good Handling Practices"; increase consumer knowledge of the nutritional advantages of consuming specialty crops; assist specialty crop producers in incorporating agritourism as a value-added opportunity.  Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities.
2012	11	Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau (CCTB)	$37,500	Good Food: Local Partner with the Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau (CCTB) to improve the sale of locally-grown specialty crops by increasing consumer knowledge and use of produce through a series of educational workshops. Matching funds will be used to offset the costs of the inclusion of any non-specialty crops.
2012	11	University of Illinois Extension	$83,349	Enhancing Safety of Specialty Food Crops in Illinois Partner with the University of Illinois Extension to offer training in Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices; provide technical assistance in writing food safety plans; and subsidize third-party audit costs for specialty crop producers.
2012	11	61st Street Farmers' Market	$10,000	Encouraging Use of Specialty Crops Among Food Stamp Clients Partner with the 61st Street Farmers' Market to develop marketing materials to draw South Side residents to the market to purchase specialty crops, provide education on specialty crops to youth and school children, and provide specialty crop-focused cooking classes in the community.
2012	11	University of Illinois	$55,967	Determining Filed-Survival and Host-Range of Xanthomonas cucurbitae Partner with the University of Illinois to study Xanthomonas cucurbitae as the cause of bacterial spot in pumpkin, providing data necessary for the development of effective methods of managing the disease, including survival factors of Xanthomonas cucurbitae in the field, pathogenic variation among isolates of Xanthomonas cucurbitae and the host-range of Xanthomonas cucurbitae.
2012	11	University of Illinois	$49,158	Researching Options for Sterilizing Planting Beds in High Tunnels Partner with the University of Illinois to conduct research and deliver educational programs on the use of a portable steam generator to sterilize soils in high tunnels to prevent tomato and pepper losses to soil-borne diseases where high tunnels are used repeatedly.
2012	11	Illinois Farm Bureau's Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program	$10,000	Apples Ag Mag Partner with the Illinois Farm Bureau's Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program to develop and print a new Apples Ag Mag to increase awareness of the specialty crop in Illinois and to introduce more students and consumers to the ideas of locally-grown foods and the farmers that grow them.
2012	11	Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association	$20,061	Pest and Disease Control Workshops for Illinois' Grape Growers Partner with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association to educate Illinois grape growers on the best practices for vineyard management to ultimately increase their yield and the quality of Illinois-grown grapes by offering educational workshops that address pest management and disease control in Illinois vineyards.
2012	11	WBBM TV, a subsidiary of CBS Inc.	$100,000	"Illinois.Where Fresh Is" Multi-Media Campaign Partner with WBBM TV, a subsidiary of CBS Inc., to launch an integrated, multi- media campaign, "Illinois Where Fresh Is!" designed to bring "Specialty Crops" to the forefront of consumers' minds and promote healthier eating habits, ultimately boosting industry sales and keeping Illinois dollars in the state. Only eligible specialty crops will be included in the promotions.
2012	11	University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences, Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Association and Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association	$20,757	Preparing Illinois' Specialty Crop Producers for Drift Partner with the University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences, Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Association and Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association to support an outreach and research program designed to define the risk of damaging pesticide drift to specialty crops producers and assist specialty crop growers in managing such risk by providing them with a series of outreach presentations, special tools and guidelines for properly addressing a drift incident, and access to existing resources, including the Driftwatch program.
2012	11	Southern Illinois University's Department of Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems	$127,723	Documenting Nutritional Value of Local Produce Partner with Southern Illinois University's Department of Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems to study the impact of variety selection, harvest timing and storage duration on the nutritional and antioxidant content of fruits and vegetables and to provide grower outreach through pre-educational project surveys, field production and sample collection, fruit and vegetable tissue assays, development of specialty crop fact sheets and post-educational outreach surveys.
2012	11	Southern Illinois University and the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association	$63,351	Establish and disseminate vine balance strategies for Illinois wine grapes Partner with the Southern Illinois University and the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association to develop management guidelines for crop level, nitrogen fertilization rate and canopy and vineyard floor management strategies that will significantly improve the marketability of Illinois grapes and wine.
2012	11	Illinois Stewardship Alliance	$40,997	Growing the Specialty Crop Industry: Farm-to-Restaurant and Beyond Partner with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance to increase specialty crop sales to restaurants; develop new resources to connect farms to restaurants by educating restaurants and farmers; promote local foods through the "Buy Fresh Buy Local" campaign; provide technical training to chefs and facilitate a farm-to-restaurant series. Matching funds will be used to cover the costs of any non-specialty crops.