Animal agriculture is a significant social, economical and environmental force for rural and urban Illinois. Illinois Department of Agriculture data from 2001 reported that over $1.84 billion were generated by the Illinois livestock industry (24.5 percent of all Illinois agricultural income) and employ 28,038 individuals in direct livestock production. Goldsmith, Department of ACE at the University of IL, summarized that additional employment (processing and marketing of livestock related production) resulted in 43,509 jobs with total economic impact of 3.4 billion dollars. Adding one 2400 sow operation in a county adds $5.1 million in direct income and a total of $9.7 million for the community. This livestock unit could be modernization of an existing unit, growth of existing operation, or new operation.

Illinois livestock industry is at a crossroads facing economic challenges and social challenges from numerous sources. With declines in swine and dairy operations and stable beef and sheep numbers, an opportunity to enhance utilization of Illinois corn, soybean, and forage resources has been lost. With an IFLFI theme to “Grow Illinois Animal Agriculture”, four focus areas identified by stakeholders, livestock producers, commodity groups, and government leadership have been selected in this proposal.

1. Meeting community standards to improve citing of livestock facilities
2. Using distillers grain successfully in feed Illinois and regional livestock operations
3. Demonstrating sustainable forage-based pasture systems in Illinois
4. Developing livestock electronic identification for food safety and product quality enhancement

The unique aspects of this project:

• applies to all livestock species,
• each focus complements this overall theme growing IL livestock by clearly enhancing livestock siting criteria and use of IL feed products (corn, soybean by-products, and forages,
• apply sustainable livestock systems for family operations,
• provide a futuristic tool to track Illinois livestock.