Illinois Department of Agriculture

Pat Quinn
Governor

Domestic Marketing

The domestic staff offers a wide variety of programs and services which provide promotional assistance to the food and agribusiness industries in Illinois. Some of the assistance offered is through food and agribusiness trade shows, specialty promotions, Illinois State Fair exhibits, consumer shows, agricultural development and diversification, direct marketing of agricultural products and information provided through various directories, guides and publications. Two programs, Ag in the Classroom and Illinois Agricultural Youth Institute (IAYI), provide educational materials and programs that educate youth on the importance of agriculture. The domestic staff assists agricultural groups in legislative and promotional activities by working with commodity organizations and processors to prioritize projects and target marketing efforts. The Illinois Products Logo Program is designed to educate consumers on food and agribusiness products produced, processed, or packaged in Illinois. Trade/food shows and retail grocery store promotions help promote the logo and raise consumer awareness. The domestic staff also facilitates development and promotion of new uses of Illinois agicultural commodities, administers the Centennial Farm Program and provides support to the state's aquaculture industry.

Centennial Farms Program

The Centennial Farms program honors generations of farmers who have worked to maintain family farms in Illinois. To qualify for Centennial Farm status, an agricultural property must have been owned by the same family of lineal or collateral descendants for at least 100 years. A lineal descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, such as a child or a grandchild. A collateral descendent is not a direct descendent, but is otherwise closely related, such as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin.
Applicants who complete a form and meet all requirements of the Centennial Farms program receive an official Centennial Farm sign suitable for outdoor display and a certificate bearing signatures of the governor of Illinois and the director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. There is an $30 application fee to offset the cost of the sign.
More than 8,300 Illinois farms have been named Centennial Farms since the program was created in 1972. There is at least one Centennial Farm in every county of the state. Champaign County has the most with over 200 Centennial Farms.

Search for a Centennial Farm

Download the Centennial Farms application form view and complete with Adobe Acrobat Reader

Sesquicentennial Farms Program

The Sesquicentennial Farms Program recognizes farms that have been held by descendants of the same family for 150 years or more. To qualify for sesquicentennial Farm status, an agricultural property must have been owned by the same family of lineal or collateral descendants for at least 150 years. A lineal descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, such as a child or a grandchild. A collateral descendent is not a direct descendent, but is otherwise closely related, such as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin. Applicants who complete a form and meet all requirements of the Sesquicentennial Farms program receive an official Sesquicentennial Farm sign suitable for outdoor display and a certificate bearing signatures of the governor of Illinois and the director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. There is an $30 application fee to offset the cost of the sign.

Search for a Sesquicentennial Farm

Download the Sesquicentennial Farms application form view and complete with Adobe Acrobat Reader

Illinois Products Logo Program

The Illinois Department of Agriculture's Illinois Product Logo program is designed to help consumers support their own economies. The program allows consumers to easily identify and purchase Illinois food and agricultural products. Participants are encouraged to help promote the idea of "Illinois Products" but are under no obligation to use the logo on their packaging or promotional items.

Any entity that produces, processes or packages a food or agricultural product in Illinois can be authorized to participate in the logo program free of charge. Examples include commodity groups, food companies, specialty growers, any agricultural producers or related associations. Although there are no requirements to use a certain percentage of state produced ingredients, the IDOA encourages the use of in-state resources and can help locate Illinois suppliers.

The Illinois Product Logo can be used in any and all promotional activities, including packaging, merchandising materials, and advertising campaigns. The Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Marketing and Promotion supports marketing efforts through a variety of educational and promotional projects, including retail displays, food service, special events, industry trade shows, state fair exhibits and more.

So, the next time you are at the store, check for the Illinois Product Logo.

Download the Illinois Products Logo application viewable with Adobe Acrobat Reader

Questions or comments.