State of Illinois announced $14.7 million in federal grant funding will be used to extend the state’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) beyond June 30, 2025. The funding will be awarded to the existing 15 providers announced in 2024. LFPA was launched as the Illinois – Equitable Access Towards Sustainable Systems (IL-EATS) program in 2022 by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in a joint effort to transform the food system. Under the program, lead agencies such as food banks and non-profit organizations receive grant funds to purchase food from underserved farmers at a fair market value which is then provided at no cost to food-insecure communities. The program prioritizes ensuring culturally responsive fresh foods are available to Illinois’ most vulnerable families.  Since the initial rollout of the federally funded program, Illinois has been committed to sourcing 100 percent of LFPA products from socially disadvantaged farmers, growers and producers.