CHICAGO — Providing safe, affordable food is important to Illinois soybean farmers. The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff program partnered with State Senator Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey) to share this message with suburban Chicagoans yesterday.
As part of its Soy in the City initiative, a program that shares with Chicago consumers how soybeans impact their daily lives, ISA contributed about 400 pounds of ground pork to the Thornton Township Food and General Assistance Center and provided soil health information and materials to the Thornton Township High School Urban Farm.
“Growing safe, affordable food starts from the ground up,” says Doug Schroeder, ISA vice chairman and soybean farmer from Mahomet, Ill. “Properly managing nutrients in the ground is a priority for Illinois soybean farmers and we’re happy to share our knowledge with the Thornton Township High School students who are working hard to grow their own food.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 23, Schroeder and Sen. Harris shared with students and Harvey, Ill., community members the importance of having access to safe, affordable food during the first annual Thornton Township High School Food Summit. After Schroeder shared tips for maintaining proper soil health, Food Summit guests toured the Urban Farm where students plant, harvest and discuss growing food every Tuesday after school.
Prior to participating in the Food Summit, Schroder and Sen. Harris stopped at the Thornton Township Food and General Assistance Center to share how soybeans play a role in raising protein-rich food sources like pork.
“As the chairman for the Senate Agriculture Committee, I’m pleased to partner with Illinois soybean farmers to bring to communities like mine a positive, transparent story about growing and raising food,” says Sen. Harris.
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and profitability research, issues analysis, communications and education. Membership and advocacy efforts support Illinois soybean farmer interests in local areas, Springfield and Washington, D.C., through the Illinois Soybean Growers. ISA programs are designed to ensure Illinois soy is the highest quality, most dependable, sustainable and competitive in the global marketplace. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org.
— Illinois Soybean Association
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