To continue meaningful progress on the Illinois Food System Roadmap, we must focus on broadening stakeholder inclusion, deepening regional engagement, and developing and operationalizing a collaborative model for food systems transformation. Central to this is the need for an intentional, decentralized, and coordinated approach that empowers diverse communities and aligns efforts across sectors, from producers and processors to consumers, advocates, educators, and policymakers.

A decentralized framework is essential to shift ownership of the food system transformation to local communities and regions while maintaining alignment with shared statewide goals. In Phase II, the Roadmap Task Force will further expand and diversify its membership, and continue to engage, convene, and mobilize people in “clusters of interests” — stakeholders with common goals and needs within their region, sector, etc. The Task Force will also begin to envision and develop the technological tools and governance model needed to enable and sustain Roadmap access and engagement, cross-collaboration and resource sharing among stakeholders, and tracking and reporting on progress made. States and regions like Alaska and New England offer valuable models for Phase II.

While a Roadmap can exist as a document, whether physically or digitally, it has become clear in Phase I that what is essential to realizing the goals of the Roadmap is an ongoing and fully funded process that continues to build engagement, communication, and collaboration across sectors and regions. Based on the experience of other states already implementing their plans and charters, the Roadmap will also benefit from a “backbone organization” to sustain the work.

6. NEXT STEPS IN ADVANCING THE ILLINOIS FOOD SYSTEM ROADMAP

“We need State and Federal support for local foods to thrive. Strangling regulations and lack of financing for meat and vegetable processing facilities needs to be addressed.”

—A participant