Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Latino farmers and local multicultural food and marketing systems

Project ID: M2008-27

Abstract

Iowa needs a new generation of community-scale organic and sustainable farmers and market gardeners. Two different approaches were used in two communities with significant immigrant populations (Marshalltown and Denison) to assist these groupd of farmers.

Key Question: Can programs be devised that incorporate (Latino) immigrant farmers and gardeners into local food systems in Iowa and what can we learn about the process that will inform future efforts in Iowa?

Findings: This two-year project launched a new generation of community-scale organic and sustainable farmers and market gardeners in Iowa by trying two different approaches in two communities with substantial immigrant populations.

Lead investigator: Jan Flora, ISU Sociology, et al

Year of grant completion: 2010

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Marketing Initiative.

Topics: Business management, distribution and marketing, Human systems, demographics and beginning farmer programs