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New Initiative Aiming To Make Illinois A Premier Hub For Food Business

CHICAGO (CBS) -- People from agriculture and the corporate world will be teaming up in Chicago this week to inaugurate a new organization they hope will make Illinois the premier hub for the food business, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.

Lee Strom, director of FARM (Food Agriculture Road Map) Illinois, says the group is being formally launched this week to unite farmers, the food industry and businesses with specific goals in mind.

"New ways of bringing investment capital into Illinois that can help spur our food and agriculture sector, whether it be in infrastructure projects or the new science and technologies," he says.

Strom, who was himself a farmer, says consumer demand is recognizing agriculture's worth.

"The young people especially today, I think people of all ages want to know more about their food," he says. "Where is it raised? How is it grown? Is it grown sustainably?"

Strom believes FARM Illinois' efforts will create jobs and spark solutions and he hopes alleviate hunger.

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