The Illinois Department of Agriculture wants shoppers to buy food farmed in Illinois. And it wants grocery stores that sell local food to encourage it. The state wants stores and farmers’ markets to take part in its new "Where Fresh Is" campaign.
Jennifer Tirey is with the Department of Agriculture. She says advertising state-grown food can help a business' bottom line.
"If consumers cannot find the produce and don't know where it's from, they're not going to buy it." - Jennifer Tirey
Participating outlets will receive free marketing materials to promote locally-grown produce.The deadline to apply is February 15th. There’s already a similar campaign in Chicago.
Illinois Public Radio's Chris Slaby contributed to this report.