Illinois Farm Families Awareness Rises to 43%

New survey data shows growing public familiarity with the Illinois Farm Families coalition and shifting perceptions of family farm ownership in the state.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Organic Food

Screen-print poster illustration of a lone red barn at the edge of a green soybean field under open sky, with a teal tree line on the horizon. — The Illinois Farm Families coalition reported public awareness of its work rose to 43% in 2025, up from 33% in 2021, as respondents estimated 50.1% of Illinois farms are family owned. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you trust farmers more when you know family farms own most land?

The Illinois Farm Bureau reported that public familiarity with Illinois Farm Families rose from 33% in 2021 to 43% in a repeated survey. Respondents also estimated the share of Illinois farms that are family owned at 50.1%, up from 47% in 2021.

Why it matters

The findings suggest targeted consumer outreach about agriculture can increase public awareness of who owns Illinois farms. The gap between respondents' estimates and the reported ownership share highlights a continued misperception about the state's farm sector.

Familiarity with Illinois Farm Families rose from 33% in 2021 to 43% in the latest survey, while respondents estimated family-owned farms at 50.1% of Illinois farms compared with a reported actual share of 96%. The survey sample size and methodology were not provided in the source data.

The players

Illinois Farm Bureau

The Illinois Farm Bureau is a statewide agricultural advocacy organization that represents farmers and promotes policies supporting agriculture in Illinois.

Illinois Farm Families

Illinois Farm Families is a coalition of six agricultural organizations that runs public education efforts about farming in the state.

The details

The Illinois Farm Families coalition, made up of six agricultural organizations, ran a campaign titled "We are the 96" and conducted targeted consumer outreach to educate the public about agriculture. The same survey was conducted in 2021 and repeated this year to measure changes in awareness and perception.

2021: Initial consumer survey on Illinois Farm Families familiarity is conducted.
2026: Repeated survey shows increased familiarity and revised estimates of family farm ownership.

Season Trajectory

The 2021 survey established a baseline for public familiarity with Illinois Farm Families, and the 2026 repeat tracks movement from 33% to 43% awareness. This follows an approach of measuring consumer perception of agriculture over time rather than as a one-time snapshot.

Illinois shoppers who want to know who owns the farms behind their food can use the survey's findings to better understand the state's agricultural landscape. The gap between perceived and reported family ownership suggests readers may wish to look up farm ownership details directly when making purchasing decisions.

The takeaway

Awareness of who farms Illinois land is measurable and can shift with public education, but the gap between perceived and actual family ownership remains large. Readers interested in local food sourcing can seek out family-farm information directly from producers.