Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

A food distribution network for the Northern Iowa Food and Farm Partnership

Project ID: M2009-19

Abstract

Matching the supply of local food to the demand requires local food producers to make adjustments in their food distribution systems. This project looked at collaborative models to help these producers make their post-farm operations more efficient.

Key Question: Can a collaborative marketing and distribution model that utilizes existing farmer-owned resources be structured to benefit farmers?

Findings: Through careful planning, including consultation with Red Tomato, a collaborative marketing and distribution model was developed and implemented. Farmers integrated many aspects of their operations into this collaborative model, which included cooperative crop planning, seed and soil amendment purchases, sharing of market demand from specific buyers, cooperative use of cold storage and transportation, etc.

Lead investigator: Andrea Geary, University of Northern Iowa

Year of grant completion: 2011

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

Topics: Community-based food systems, Supply networks