We are thrilled to announce that the Artisan Grain Collaborative (AGC) received a $434,000 grant through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Local Food Promotion Program.
This grant will assist the partnership of bakers, chefs, millers, nonprofits, advocates, entrepreneurs, and school nutrition experts to further grow and develop as they introduce small-batch artisan grains into the Chicago region.
AGC will use the grant to evaluate four new grains annually based on research on crop suitability for our region, compositional characteristics, and culinary characteristics. To understand how best to use these unique, nutrient-dense grains, the collaborative’s bakers and chefs will develop and test recipes to share through a series of education programs including programs specifically designed for a variety of practitioners.
Formed in 2016, AGC received foundational support from Food:Land:Opportunity in early 2017 to promote a diverse crop rotation and reduce market barriers in bringing small-batch, artisan grains into the Chicago foodshed. By fostering sustainable growing practices and building demand for these grains, the collaborative is working to build soil health and the resilience of our local agricultural sector, while offering more nutritious, sustainable grains to Chicago eaters.
Members of the Collaborative include:
- Baker Miller
- Bootleg Batard
- Delta Institute
- Earth’s New Ways
- Edgewood Farm Collective
- Floriole
- Fresh Taste
- Goldmine Farms
- Gourmet Gorilla
- Hewn
- Janie’s Farm
- Laine’s Bake Shop
- Lonesome Stone Milling
- Somerset
- Plovgh
- Publican Quality Breads
- SloFIG
- Spence Farm Foundation
- The Kitchen Community
- U of I Food & Bioprocessing Pilot Plant
- University of Illinois Extension
For more information, visit the Artisan Grain Collaborative website and watch our video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnSHNe7xVBI
