Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Center to prepare plan for Iowa Legislature

Back to Leopold Letter Summer 2010

An amendment to a bill passed near the end of the recent legislative session assigned the Leopold Center to generate a local food and farm plan for Iowa. The legislature deemed this “of immediate importance” and the Center must submit the plan to the legislature by January 10, 2011.

The legislative charge reads:
LOCAL FOOD AND FARM PLAN. “To the extent feasible, the Leopold center for sustainable agriculture . . . shall prepare a local food and farm plan containing policy and funding recommendations for supporting and expanding local food systems and for assessing and overcoming obstacles necessary to increase locally grown food production. . . . The plan shall include recommendations for short-term and long-term solutions, including but not limited to the enactment of legislation.”

Led by associate director Rich Pirog, a team of Center staff and interns will spend the summer gathering data on the current local food situation in Iowa. A food summit held June 24 in Ames brought together stakeholders representing a variety of groups and interests to offer input for the plan. An electronic survey and regional listening sessions will be conducted later in the summer to gain additional information. No new funds were appropriated for the Center to produce the document for the lawmakers. 

Back to Leopold Letter Summer 2010