Study finds Illinois number one hub in food distribution network

12/17/2014

Study analyzes food distribution network, identifies critical hub.

Written by

Illinois is the most critical hub in the network of U.S. domestic food transfers, according to a new study by CEE Assistant Professor Megan Konar, Visiting Scholar at the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs, and colleagues. The study was published in the journal "Environmental Science and Technology."

Much like the national airport network in which O’Hare International Airport is a major hub, Illinois plays the most central role in distributing food across the U.S. According to the report, the U.S. food network moves more than 400 million tons of food annually. Of that total, more than 70 million tons are transported through Illinois, the most of any state in the nation. That’s enough food to feed every Illinois citizen a healthy diet for five and a half years.

“The state’s geography and infrastructure, coupled with the large volume of commodities produced by Illinois farms each year, means Illinois is a vital player in the network,” said Konar. Other important hubs include Louisiana (with its ports in New Orleans) and California.

Illinois has a critical food transportation infrastructure, including railway, the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. The American Society of Civil Engineers grades the country’s infrastructure every four years. In 2013 Illinois’ infrastructure received a D+ (and the U.S. as a whole also received a D+). Illinois has 2,311 structurally deficient bridges and 73 percent of major roads are in poor or mediocre quality (see the report card here). Konar’s study demonstrates the importance of Illinois’ infrastructure to national and global food security, and in turn demonstrates why deteriorating infrastructure is so problematic.

“With finite resources available for infrastructure improvements, lawmakers can utilize this evidence to make strategic investments in areas that are most critical,” Konar said. “Policymakers may want to target Illinois for infrastructural improvements, since it is such a critical node in the nation’s food transportation network.”

This study is part of IGPA’s Climate Change Policy Initiative.


Share this story

This story was published December 17, 2014.