Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Iowa legislature moves forward with food and farm plan

Back to Leopold Letter Fall 2011

The Iowa Local Food and Farm Plan that the Leopold Center presented to the state legislature in January is moving forward. The legislature created a new state-level program based on the plan to boost production, processing, distribution, marketing and consumption of Iowa-grown food.
First-year operating funds of $75,000 were included in the agriculture and natural resources budget signed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad in July.

The new program is called the Local Food and Farm Initiative. The legislation outlined four goals for the initiative to pursue:

  • Promote the expansion of local food production, processing, distribution and marketing of Iowa food;
  • Increase consumer and institutional spending on Iowa foods;
  • Increase the profitability of farmers and businesses engaged in local food enterprises; and
  • Increase the number of jobs associated with local foods.

The program brings together the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Iowa State University Extension and ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

At the helm of the new program is Craig Chase, who has been interim leader of the Leopold Center’s Marketing and Food Systems research program since April. He will continue at the Leopold Center and with ISU Extension, where he co-leads a task force to develop ISU Extension’s program response to consumer demand for more regional food.  Chase also is a key player in a partnership with the Leopold Center, College and ISU Extension to improve the economic viability of regional food systems through additional research, training and outreach for fruit and vegetable growers.

The legislation specified membership of a Local Food and Farm Program Council within IDALS that will advise the coordinator. The council will include representatives from IDALS, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Farmers Market Association and three people appointed by the governor to represent Iowa resource conservation and development; a food processor, wholesaler or retailer; and a regional food system working group participant or expert in local food.

Chase said he sees a lot of interaction with the new state-level program and what he’s already doing at the Leopold Center, the College and ISU Extension. “My job is to make the connections so that farmers get the resources they need,” he said. “It should be an organized effort.”

The Iowa Local Food and Farm Plan that the Leopold Center developed in 2010 also noted the need for program coordination. The plan offered 29 operational recommendations for assistance in the areas of business training, loans, food processing, food safety and programs for beginning, minority and transitioning farmers in the state of Iowa.

The statewide program was announced in August by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. “This initiative is designed to get more of the food we produce here in Iowa on the table while keeping more of the food dollar on the farm,”Northey said. “By utilizing the expertise of all three organizations it should help speed the development of this already growing part of Iowa agriculture.”

Back to Leopold Letter Fall 2011