Will County Advances Agricultural Support Measures Amid Airport Land Debate

The Will County Executive Committee approved two agriculture-focused resolutions Thursday, including one that proposes exploring local food production as an alternative to the long-planned South Suburban Airport project.

The measures recognize agriculture’s importance to Will County, citing statistics showing 780 farms generating $234.7 million in annual sales, while also proposing new approaches to using state-owned land currently reserved for the airport.

Committee Chair Judy Ogalla, who lives in the airport footprint, emphasized the need to consider alternatives for the roughly 20,000 acres between Monee, Beecher, and Peotone that have been held for airport development since 2002.

“The legislators that represent Eastern Will County live in Cook County,” Ogalla said. “If we had taken those dollars and funded programs in those communities, they would not be the communities they are today.”

The committee discussed several potential alternative uses for the land:

• Development of local food processing facilities
• Creation of a training center for agricultural education
• Hemp processing facilities to support local farmers
• Forest preserve expansion
• Return of some parcels to private ownership

Committee member Dan Vera highlighted the urgency of protecting farmland, noting Will County is projected to lose more farmland than any other county in the country except Maricopa County, Arizona, by 2040.

The resolutions will advance to the full county board for consideration, though some committee members questioned the board’s authority over state-owned land. Supporters emphasized the measures are meant to start conversations about alternatives rather than mandate specific actions.