State lawmakers move forward on plan to make healthy food more accessible — here's what's happening

Lawmakers in Illinois have taken important steps to help ensure that local, sustainable, and healthy food options are available in state-funded facilities.

Adopted on June 1, the backbone of Illinois House Joint Resolution 27 is the creation of the Illinois Good Food Purchasing Policy Task Force.

The task force will study the state's current food procurement practices and explore the effective implementation of the Good Food Purchasing Program policies throughout the state.

According to the resolution, the state will be "committed to improving the health of all its residents and to promoting a safe, healthy, and fair work environment for its workforce."

This will be accomplished by prioritizing nutrition and sustainable production practices while advocating for fair prices for producers.

The task force is expected to submit its final report to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2026. It will then be dissolved upon the filing of the report.

The GFPP was first developed by the Los Angeles Food Policy Council and adopted in Los Angeles in 2012.

It offers a framework that guides public and state-funded institutions to use their purchasing power to support local economies, nutrition, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare. It offers a set of tools, technical support, and a verification system to help institutions meet their goals.

Illinois has previously struggled with food security in the state, especially in vulnerable communities. In 2022, Governor Pritzker announced the establishment of the Healthy Foods Access Program, which was designed to open access to healthy food options.

"All Illinoisans deserve access to healthy foods," Governor Pritzker said in a statement. "Especially throughout the [coronavirus] pandemic, food insecurity has been a major concern in our underserved communities."

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A Western Illinois University report noted that one in four Illinoisans, just over three million people, lived in communities that did not have access to fresh and nutritious food.

The researchers pointed out that a lack of access to food can cause not only physical issues but also mental health concerns.

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