From Rep. Sharon Steckman –
With the demand for fresh, local foods growing, the Iowa Legislature created and funded the Local Food and Farm Program as a way to grow the state’s local food economy. The program seeks to make local foods more widely available in Iowa and to increase farmer profitability.
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, which coordinates Iowa’s program, reported that in 2013, projects focused on food hubs, assistance for beginning farmers, and farm to school programs as markets for local foods. Much of the work was in collaboration with the Leopold Center’s marketing initiative and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
A copy of the final report and more information can be found at:
http://www.leopold.iastate.
Iowa State University has also created a website focusing on local food systems resources, links, and data. The purpose of this website is to serve as a hub to direct users to all sources related to local foods. The website iswww.Iowafoodsystem.org.
