To address the challenges Illinois growers face with wholesale marketing, the Project Team studied barriers that prevent growers from increasing participation in wholesale markets and proposes an Action Plan to mitigate them. This work is the culmination of a six-month assessment in which 181 growers were surveyed, 14 trade buyers and 20 growers interviewed, and over 60 stakeholders participated in two downstate strategy sessions. Understanding barriers is important to help growers, buyers, policymakers and other stakeholders understand the challenges faced in meeting the growing demand for local food as well as the opportunities to overcome them. The Project Team also completed a Feasibility Study to determine the viability of a packing house as a way to overcome some of the barriers.