EDIBLE ECONOMY is working to create a community-owned food hub and farmer-owned cooperative serving farmers and consumers in a 32-county region of Central Illinois. Our goal is to foster a healthier, more self-sufficient community where more local money goes back into the local community.

In the fertile soil and temperate climate of Central Illinois, we can grow hundreds of kinds of fruits and vegetables, along with staple grains and livestock for meat, eggs, and milk. Yet over 95% of the food we buy and eat is grown outside our community. A recent assessment of our community food system determined that Central Illinois loses $5 billion per year because we spend more buying food and agricultural inputs from outside our region than we earn through farming and food production.

The EDIBLE ECONOMY Project is working to change that. In partnership with local farmers, schools, businesses, and community members, the EDIBLE ECONOMY Project is facilitating development of local food production, distribution, and processing facilities.

Thanks also to Gemma Billings for allowing us to use her work. Most photos on this site are the work of Gemma Billings, who has reserved some rights under a Creative Commons license. Many thanks to Gemma for allowing us to make use of her beautiful photos on our site!