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1    AN ACT concerning agriculture.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil
5Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section
6205-360 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 205/205-360 new)
8    Sec. 205-360. Access to nutritious food program.
9    (a) In this Section:
10    "Food desert" means an underserved geographic area where
11fresh and nutritious foods are difficult to obtain, as
12determined by the Department. "Food desert" includes:
13        (1) a rural town or urban neighborhood in which:
14            (A) at least 25% of the households have incomes
15        that are below the federal income poverty level; or
16            (B) the median family income of residents is not
17        more than 80% of the median family income of Illinois;
18        (2) a rural town, urban neighborhood, or metropolitan
19    census tract in which at least 500 residents or at least
20    33% of the population resides more than one mile from a
21    supermarket or large grocery store; or
22        (3) a nonmetropolitan census tract in which at least
23    500 residents or at least 33% of the population resides

 

 

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1    more than 10 miles from a supermarket or large grocery
2    store.
3    "Program" refers to the access to nutritious food program
4conducted under this Section.
5    (b) The Department shall conduct an access to nutritious
6food program to establish and operate projects and strategies
7within food deserts that focus on:
8        (1) distribution of fresh and nutritious food; and
9        (2) education in food preparation and nutrition.
10    (c) The Department shall promote the sharing of
11information concerning best practices and programs, including
12projects established under this Section, that have proven to
13be effective in improving distribution of fresh and nutritious
14food and education in food preparation and nutrition.
15    (d) The Department shall convene an annual meeting of
16nonprofit organizations and other interested parties to share
17best practices and information on programs, including projects
18established under this Section, that have proven to be
19effective in improving distribution of fresh and nutritious
20food and education in food preparation and nutrition.