Food Access & Health Working Group

Go to this working group's website

Purpose

This group, initiated in 2010 as part of a Leopold Center competitive grant, is a statewide network of food and nutrition assistance program providers and health professionals focused on advancing regionally–based food systems that ameliorate hunger and improve the health of Iowans by increasing access to fresh and nutritious food. Part of the Value Chain Partnerships program, FAHWG now serves as a subunit within the Iowa Food Systems Council.

How Iowa feeds its people, especially children, determines the health, economic, ecological and social capacity to support future generations. The health of Iowans depends on a food system that makes healthful food the easiest choices. The group hopes to develop and recommend program, research and policy options which support systems that provide safe and nutritious food for healthier Iowans, and to strengthen food access and self-reliance about all eaters and communities in Iowa.

The goals of the FAHWG:

• Increase communication, coordination and collaboration among a statewide network of food access, nutrition and health experts.
• Assess and monitor food access, health and food system indicators as a basis to develop and recommend research, program and policy strategies for advancing food and nutrition assistance programs and public health initiatives that support community–based food system efforts. This includes promoting innovative strategies for connecting low–resource households with healthy, affordable and locally–grown food.
• Function as an information clearinghouse including statewide food security and health knowledge and expertise, programs and research opportunities.
• Leverage funding and resources from private and public sectors for research, programs and policies that increase Iowans' access to healthy, affordable and locally–grown food.

Working group resources

• FAHWG brochure [PDF] October 2012
• Cultivating Resilience: A Food System Blueprint that Advances the Health of Iowans, Farms and Communities February 2011
• A Vision for "Good Food" for Iowa [PDF] by Angie Tagtow. April 2008

Related grant projects

• Building a food system framework to advance the health of Iowans - A blueprint for action (M2010-02)

Our partners

• 1000 Friends of Iowa
• Des Moines Area Religious Council
• Iowa Association of Food Banks
• Iowa Center on Health Disparities at the University of Northern Iowa
• Iowa Department on Aging
• Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
• Iowa Department of Education
• Iowa Department of Human Services
• Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
• Iowa Department of Public Health
• Iowa State University and Iowa State University Extension
• Iowa Workforce Development
• Local Foods Connection
• The Soyfoods Council

For more information about the FAHWG, including their electronic newsletter, visit the Iowa Food Systems Council website, or contact Angie Tagtow, (515) 669-8579, angie.tagtow@mac.com or Cody Zoss, (515) 423-0660, IowaFoodSystemsCouncil@gmail.com .