IL HB0054

Creates the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act, establishing an annual grant program administered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to support local food processing, aggregation, and distribution infrastructure

Grant awards range from $1,000 to $150,000, with 80% of funded projects requiring a 50% match and 20% designated as "high need" projects requiring only 0-20% match

Eligible applicants include Illinois farms, cooperatives, processing facilities, food hubs, and non-profits with fewer than 50 employees, as well as units of local government

Allowable expenses include value-added processing equipment, refrigeration units, refrigerated trucks, mobile slaughter units, food hub development, and packaging/labeling equipment; labor and marketing costs are excluded

Establishes a Local Food Infrastructure Steering Committee selected by the Director to guide program implementation, including at least 3 farmers (specialty crop, livestock, and farmer of color), processing industry and non-profit representatives, and a Department representative

Creates the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Fund in the State treasury, with a maximum of 10% of appropriated funds available for administrative costs, and requires annual reporting to the Governor and General Assembly by March 1