[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6269966,"mediaKeyId","3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95","parentId",3039769,"title","Kane County board approves proclamation honoring Steve Pitzick as 2024 Master Farmer Award recipient","audioSeconds",327,"startMs",2668000,"endMs",2995000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95&start=2668&end=2995","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95/thumbnail_2668000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6269966/Kane-County/Illinois/Kane-County-board-approves-proclamation-honoring-Steve-Pitzick-as-2024-Master-Farmer-Award-recipient","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6269966-e3680c758c01d832640508c8f1fc0c60/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188936&Signature=m1jwEM5njXxmffk5qBSDVVpvRgig~YlBBCt0WBjl4iEITfA7n12KqJ-2AqWR8BAbbnzwZCkKwpAQTDnEaZ4iNuOOBfWgRyCndsYHnAjDP7Ym9kn5bEtOC9vfdTWG2sJTtTTUuM15mJsPLmGDIcApWs6iMPxL5IfBA~muSsZHaZaU~cWiI19wiiRozslWToeQXYSH8WchSt824aNRlwnYL~tTAt3wBpwFhCINSayYxufPHB0WMw5JZmKljIMI2i4UZoxsVMSfUJ7LlokRLbK-wrqcbjpFP2tVzg9ZD~WwiO6yLiX~XCroNjZlis2Un1JDil8h-FMw~GEh1o56OZ2U-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kane County, IL","date","2025-04-17T16:30:13.517Z","article","Kane County board members approved a proclamation recognizing Steve Pitzick of Maple Park as a 2024 Master Farmer Award recipient.

The proclamation, read by board member Roth and entered as new business, cites Prairie Farmer Magazine's Master Farmer Award (established 1925) and lists Pitzick's agricultural and community roles: raising corn and soybeans with his son on the family farm in Kane County; serving in Illinois agricultural leadership programs; chairing the Illinois Soybean Association; advising agriculture-technology companies; serving on the Kane County Farmland Protection Commission; and participating in county economic-development efforts. The proclamation notes Pitzick is the third Kane County farmer to receive the Master Farmer Award, following winners in 1982 and 2014.

Procedure and vote: State's attorney John Franks confirmed that because the item had been included on the agenda the action complied with open-meetings notice requirements and could proceed as new business. The board then conducted a roll-call/voice vote; the transcript records votes of Allen (yes), Williams (yes), Roth (yes) and Dubey (yes) and the chair declared the item approved and placed on file.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","KC Agriculture Committee April 17 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board advanced and approved a proclamation recognizing Steve Pitzick of Maple Park as a Prairie Farmer Master Farmer Award recipient; county legal counsel confirmed the item met notice requirements and the board approved by roll call.","taxTitle","Kane County, Illinois","taxId",12845,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6269971,"U. of I. Extension launches Meet Your Farmer series; receives $1,000 for local trials at St. Charles station",317,319000,636000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95&start=319&end=636","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95/thumbnail_319000.jpg","/articles/6269971/Kane-County/Illinois/U-of-I-Extension-launches-Meet-Your-Farmer-series-receives-1000-for-local-trials-at-St-Charles-station","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6269971-bb57202eb55286a76a3291a1ac383c14/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188936&Signature=f2WlFxqIYm0U~PbfDkOdumhws2j-Lzzp-n0Tk7v7H45y4j0v2m2M5zLvYWPkR29QIrR12tWnPEjOgzwy8SomjCrX7u6H2qV5C2f1Yq5dPB9R0cqPaXp5uIbqjYuMloJx36eyqI6cRy6tqUdQ4iOqzpmoik2Qwp6mN6xhoIk67FMWpzJ-qFJkYVh0EpUjFrVGYBv6~rKk7yZ6sjflTECZryrqDU6s4H6nkBtVPkwcI7WjFqEasFSWFEdPMIl7zZ~rnhQ7D0AnOX38fLKAOJkpLMT3AK2EhrmTWey-V6GSFjDzbZzBP-uNF8zabkRP9XNhkTVDtufawnQ6JisSRDsKrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alexis Barnes, the University of Illinois Extension local food systems and small farms educator serving DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties, told the board she will run a \"Meet Your Farmer\" series through the growing season and requested help recruiting participating growers. The series is slated for May, June, July and August; Barnes said the first event is May 18 from 10 a.m. to noon at Barbic Farms in Wayne.

Barnes said the series is a scaled-down alternative to a full-day farm-stroll event and is intended to showcase specialty-crop and small livestock operations in Kane County. She listed potential participating operations including Glory Gardens (Michelle DeRage), Clients Quality Produce, Rustic Road Farms, Straum Family Farms and others. Board member Roth asked for an email blast to promote the May 18 event; Barnes said she would send details to county staff once marketing materials are ready.

In addition, Barnes said her program received $1,000 from the Illinois Vegetable Growers Association to conduct research at the St. Charles Horticulture Research Station. She said she plans a zinnia cut-flower and muskmelon variety trial to study whether zinnias attract beneficial insects that can help control squash bugs and cucumber beetles, a common pest concern for cucurbit growers in the county.

Barnes also thanked event supporters and noted proceeds from a recent 4-H pork-chop dinner help support 4-H, SNAP-Ed nutrition and master gardener programs. She said the master urban farmer training program will run again in the fall and that she will return to the board with additional details in July.

No formal action or vote occurred. Board members recommended outreach through the county newsletter and social channels, and staff indicated the county would help circulate event notices.","Alexis Barnes of University of Illinois Extension announced a May–August Meet Your Farmer series, a May 18 event at Barbic Farms, and said her program won a $1,000 Illinois Vegetable Growers Association award to support zinnia and muskmelon variety trials at the St. Charles Horticulture Research Station.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6269975,"County hears Illinois Eats update; local food hubs and a federal funding gap create uncertainty for area farmers and pantries",1229,1428000,2657000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95&start=1428&end=2657","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95/thumbnail_1428000.jpg","/articles/6269975/Kane-County/Illinois/County-hears-Illinois-Eats-update-local-food-hubs-and-a-federal-funding-gap-create-uncertainty-for-area-farmers-and-pantries","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6269975-15a58a4af3c2973c9d04f7d739d69e07/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188937&Signature=Nj0UR9vuXZ~9xdUfOOz13RDFDiyA4na9Wd7XZc~FByBu3M6QzerYR4XtljHoef3LBBPOyTxPE6vsaXWIGLxas7msuQz4p2PyezYbErctPi6nEG9pTPBQ5jeSafhwJpkulbv8M0e4pTnWtgcOo94AYOrH0sBb0obUElejzPouOF-97Gbc~xVO2INrts~HKYyQJ2xqOL7B4AUVSPJlnWXWiDNU6kZ1CG0NpHCkvyCf5AEW5OsgT7E95snKqpNK5a~We8oguEL-6wETnV~YGvBpqupG9VX5T0r1KIayS2klMCz1XULgtAJJKuhJqLIcW4nLxAX0XUcRBWvo1-Tr2rAeSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kane County staff and partner organizations updated the board on Illinois Eats, a federal grant-driven program run statewide through lead agencies that purchased Illinois-grown food for distribution to food pantries. County staff reported that the program delivered about $550,000 in product to sites that serve Kane County and that four Kane County farms sold product into the program and received about $364,000 in payments.

The program: Matt Tansley, a county staff member, said Illinois Eats was created to use USDA grant funding to buy food produced in Illinois and distribute it through service organizations and food pantries. He said the statewide program initially allocated about $28.8 million and that lead agencies could apply for awards ranging from $150,000 up to $2.5 million. Tansley said, as presented, the program engaged roughly 76 farms and distributed product to sites across 85 counties; within Kane County, 31 sites received product.

Local impact and uncertainty: Tansley told the board that the value of food distributed that served Kane County was about $550,000 and that four Kane County farms (Mighty Greens, Clients Quality Produce, Batteracres and Sunny Oaks Farm) together received approximately $364,000. He said the statewide pot originally included $28.8 million and that, at the time of his update, roughly $12 million remained available for purchase; however, he said future funding beyond June was uncertain and that some contract activity at the state level had been terminated.

Rooted for Good and a planned food hub: Heather Edwards, executive director of Rooted for Good (formerly DeKalb County Community Gardens), told the board the group is planning a regional food hub on an eight-acre site on Annie Glidden Road north of Northern Illinois University. Edwards said the total project cost is estimated near $10 million, with a Phase 1 fundraising target of about $3 million and possible groundbreaking in 2026 depending on funding. She said Rooted for Good had purchased wholesale product for pantries during the Illinois Eats project but that current funding available to the organization is far smaller than what the grant supplied.

Local food bank numbers and summer outreach: A county food-program staff member identified as Esther said the county's network serves about 70,000 individuals per month through roughly 25 pantries and direct-distribution programs (backpack program, senior program, mobile markets and an online pantry). Esther said those programs provided about 12,000,000 meals in Kane County during the prior year. Esther told the board she expects food-pantry demand to rise if inflation continues and if SNAP benefits are reduced, and she said county partners are undertaking outreach to encourage families to apply for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program (the presenter said the benefit is approximately $40 per eligible child per month for up to three months).

Examples from the field: Tansley described a tour of program partners, including a visit to Sunny Oaks Farm and the Salem Food Pantry. Tansley highlighted Sunny Oaks owner Mei Xiao's transition from architect to mushroom farmer and said the Illinois Eats purchases were an important revenue stream for that operation, particularly after a fire damaged production infrastructure.

Next steps and concerns: Board members pressed on sustainability. Heather Edwards said Rooted for Good has some remaining funds but will not be able to replicate the scale of purchasing the Illinois Eats grant enabled; she also described the state-level contract termination and said there may be legal efforts related to that termination. Board members and staff discussed whether public-private partnerships or local food-hub models could help sustain the sourcing and distribution network if federal funding is not renewed.","Officials and partners described how the Illinois Eats USDA-funded program brought roughly $550,000 in purchased product to Kane County sites, helped four local farms generate about $364,000 in sales, and left local leaders concerned after state-level funding became uncertain beyond June.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6269981,"Kane County staff preview farmer weatherization rebate, to seek Energy & Environment committee review",527,884000,1411000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95&start=884&end=1411","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3039769-06825a33871e26b0f5ae4d5ddee56f95/thumbnail_884000.jpg","/articles/6269981/Kane-County/Illinois/Kane-County-staff-preview-farmer-weatherization-rebate-to-seek-Energy-Environment-committee-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6269981-b6c9e6b44de5f4c6dfbd0a88ca36dc70/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188937&Signature=Y1yr81QlOgu31InHFwUzJ6yToND7fCTdFh4L1UydX-U0nTiuL454qy43FpRiZZDyV1kVs1Qs7jOG4QbondCwzw3JUEUMP3jlhvwmAepF5s4IaaLnrevSGWf~0Luo-ckR9AvXEqqlbUQXMBXMAEiX7OPKsuJ7ZJ0N9Co9vWgtFfVEX~Jkx~Bbk3H0hbDYvoKX56CMzY4Xs3IEYdngJt5pBsK-ISMJCNfwMHhNdfOWZInL3ssznMzr810OEJIG4HlbpkxetiiZe7DDSotfJaPIQTfH-smAUQqJlClW3KUaa5~yiKKmCxp8ruIaWLXLewUMq67SLNYavPOlWSf7Ujgclw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kane County staff presented a proposed weatherization rebate aimed at farmers, saying the county would offer $200 to $400 per household from electric-aggregation funds and would refer the plan to the Energy & Environment committee for formal consideration.

The staff presenter said the program would rely on roughly $20,000 set aside from the county's electric aggregation civic contributions and would be targeted to farmers living in unincorporated Kane County. Under the proposal, an applicant who lives in unincorporated Kane County would receive $200; applicants who do not use Nicor Gas for residential heating (for example, those using propane) would be eligible for $400. The presenter said the county rebate is intended to supplement existing Nicor Gas rebates (air sealing and attic insulation) and the federal 25C residential energy tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Why it matters: county officials said the measures are intended to lower household energy use and costs for farm families and to pair with utility and federal incentives to reduce the net out-of-pocket cost for weatherization work.

Details: the presentation cited third-party studies and contractor estimates. The presenter referenced a 2023 review by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy that found common weatherization measures such as air sealing and attic insulation can cut a home's energy use roughly 12% to 18%. The presenter also gave contractor cost estimates for a typical Illinois house (about 1,700 square feet) between $3,400 and $6,000 for combined air sealing and attic insulation. That contractor range was presented alongside a broader industry estimate of $2,000 to $6,500 for the same measures.

County and program math: the presenter outlined how the county rebate would combine with Nicor Gas incentives (air sealing: $250; attic insulation when paired with air sealing: $400) and with the federal 25C credit (up to $1,200 for qualified weatherization measures) to reduce total customer costs. The presenter said, without further clarification, \"the program would benefit between fifty-one hundred farmers,\" a figure not further explained in the meeting.

Board discussion and next steps: board members asked questions about outreach and fund availability. Board member Matt Kenyon suggested outreach through the Farm Bureau's newspaper and social media. When Board member Williams asked how much money is in the electric-aggregation fund, the presenter said the civic-contribution balance has grown over time and is currently above $500,000. The presenter requested feedback and said the next procedural step would be to take the proposal to the Energy & Environment committee for approval before any rebates are distributed.

No formal vote was taken. The presentation was recorded as a staff referral to the Energy & Environment committee for committee-level review and possible action.","County staff described a proposed rebate program that would use electric-aggregation funds to offer $200–$400 payments to farmers who weatherize homes, and asked the board for feedback before referring the proposal to the Energy & Environment committee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kane County board approves proclamation honoring Steve Pitzick as 2024 Master Farmer Award recipient

U. of I. Extension launches Meet Your Farmer series; receives $1,000 for local trials at St. Charles station

County hears Illinois Eats update; local food hubs and a federal funding gap create uncertainty for area farmers and pantries

Kane County staff preview farmer weatherization rebate, to seek Energy & Environment committee review