Only a tiny amount of the dry land on earth can produce the food that feeds the people of the world. The very best of that farmland is in northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana—a treasure that has been entrusted to those of us fortunate enough to call this region home. It is our responsibility to make sure that our farmland, with its deep, black, rich soil, remains here in abundance for future generations because well-managed farmland:
Sign Our Online Petition
Illinois farmland provides many benefits, from growing food and protecting our water supply to reinforcing a strong local economy. Sign our online petition to pledge your support for programs that protect farmland now and in the future. Learn More
Climate Change and Agriculture
As weather patterns shift due to climate change, farmers are starting to consider how to adapt agricultural practices that mitigate the impacts of a changing environment to their crops and livestock. Click 
here to download our report How Climate Change and Ethanol Will Alter the Course of Illinois Agriculture.
Local Growers Map
Openlands, with funding from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, works hard to protect rapidly vanishing farmland throughout the region. Click here to view a selection of active local farms, food producers, and markets.