Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Building student awareness and involvement in the Farm to ISU program

Project ID: M2009-14

Abstract

Iowa State University Dining Services initiated the Farm to ISU program to increase purchases of local foods by 35 percent by 2012. This project sought to boost the awareness of ISU students about Farm to ISU and the importance of buying locally-produced foods.

Key Question: The project asked students: Are you aware of Farm to ISU and the benefit to Iowa by purchasing locally?

Findings: During that year as we saw a growth in the knowledge, mostly through table tents and posters in the dining halls. Every year we get 5-8,000 new students, so we will continue to do this, but have seen a decline in willingness to pay more for this benefit due to the value proposition of keeping their debt down.

Lead investigator: Nancy Levandowski, ISU Dining

Co-Investigator(s):

Darrin Vander Plas, Farm to ISU, Iowa State University

Year of grant completion: 2011

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

Topics: Farm to institution