Farmer’s Markets and Food Hubs: Healthy Food in Kane County
- Editor’s Note: This article was written by Elizabeth Hartig – Project Coordinator, Planning and Community Health Center, Plan4Health.
The Kane County Planning Cooperative is a member of the first Plan4Health cohort, leading efforts to integrated planning and public health just outside Chicago’s city limits. An established coalition, the KCPC is an integrated initiative between the county’s health, transportation, and development planning staff.
During the Plan4Health project period, KCPC will continue to expand partnerships beyond geographic borders to address inactivity and unhealthy diets, leveraging Plan4Health’s investment to continue the implementation of the county’s long range plans: 2012-2016 Community Health Improvement Plan, the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan and the 2040 Plan.
Farmers’ Markets
As Journey to a Culture of Health demonstrates, Kane County is a leader in understanding the diverse needs of residents and in providing interventions to make it easier to access healthy, fresh food. The farmers’ markets featured in the video have been enhanced by an early success of Kane County’s Plan4Health initiative: the City of Aurora and the Fit Kids Funder’s Consortium Healthy Food Demonstration Booth.
The booth, supported through Plan4Health and the Fit for Kids initiative, will reach 80,000 residents and travel to Aurora’s three farmers markets — all markets that accept SNAP benefits, making it easier to families to access healthy food.
Food Hub Feasibility Study
Food & Farms – Kane County recently posted an update on the next phase of the Food Hub Feasibility Study, another key strategy in the Plan4Health project:
The first phase of the Food Hub Feasibility Study has been completed, which included a thorough Market Assessment of producer and buyer interest in a regional food hub operation. As the project team transitions to the next phase of the project, it will focus on three key areas: identifying strategies by which a regional food hub could address the challenges of food equity within our region, assistance to farmers looking to adapt their operations for selling product to a food hub, and developing series of models to test the financial viability of a regional food hub.
Kane County is ready to move into Phase II of the study, strengthening the connection between growers and buyers — and between residents and fresh, local food.
KCPC will continue to engage community members and key stakeholders throughout the Plan4Health project. For more on Kane County, check out the Kane County Community Gardens video — or subscribe to receive news and updates!
