Leopold Center - Buying food grown in and around Black Hawk County keeps millions of dollars in local economy

4-18-08

BUYING FOOD GROWN IN AND AROUND BLACK HAWK COUNTY KEEPS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LOCAL ECONOMY

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- In 2007 alone, nearly $2 million worth of locally produced food was purchased by 26 institutional food buyers in the eight-county region including and surrounding Black Hawk County, more than double the amount purchased in 2006.

"Residents, farmers, restaurant owners, grocers and dining-service staff of a number of area institutions have demonstrated what can happen in a metro area when people are aware of where their food comes from and buy more locally grown foods," said Kamyar Enshayan, director of the University of Northern Iowa's Center for Energy and Environmental Education. "Now it's time to invest in a local-food infrastructure, such as a distribution network and the light processing of vegetables to add economic vitality to our area while making the region more food-secure."

During a 10 a.m. event today, April 18, in Waterloo, representatives from UNI and area economic groups shared the results of 10 years of building the local food economy and unveiled results from new studies showing potential economic impacts of growing the local-food infrastructure. The studies were funded in part by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, which has funded much of UNI's local-food initiative over the last 10 years.

"The Leopold Center has made significant investments in developing local food markets in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls area, as well as across the state," said Rich Pirog, associate director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. "The recent sales and economic-impact study results are solid evidence as to the economic potential of expanded local food commerce."

UNI Dining Services, one of the first institutions that worked with Enshayan 10 years ago to buy more locally grown food, more than doubled its purchases of local food last year. It spent just over $49,000 in Black Hawk County and surrounding counties and another $642,000 in Iowa products.

"The staff has really taken hold of the local-food concept," said Gale Carlson, purchasing manager for UNI Dining Services. "They've made changes in recipes and menus to add more local products to the meals we serve. Making local purchases improves the economy, we get high-quality food, and it benefits the area families selling the produce. It's not a tough sell to make these changes."

Recently, the UNI Local Food Project expanded its scope and broadened its leadership to become the Northern Iowa Food and Farm (NIFF) Partnership at UNI. Carlson and Shane Tiernan, with Grundy Center National Bank, are the co-chairs of the partnership.

"Our rural communities depend on the viability and sustainability of our rural agricultural economy," Tiernan said. "Strengthening and expanding the scope and scale of local-food production can have a major economic impact on our communities. The NIFF Partnership will play a key role in facilitating this growth in local-food production through education and encouraging collaboration among producers and buyers."

Studies by Iowa State University economist Dave Swenson show that if residents of the eight-county region around Black Hawk County purchased their daily-recommended allowance of fruits and vegetables from area farmers for three months out of the year, it would generate 457 new jobs and $6.3 million in new labor income annually.

Swenson and Minnesota economist Ken Meter also found that a restaurant purchasing from local farms had a larger impact on the local economy than the average restaurant. Rudy's Tacos, a Waterloo diner and long-time supporter of the local-food movement, purchases 71 percent of the restaurant's produce from local and regional farms.

"In the past 10 years, north-central Iowa has emerged as a national leader for supporting local farms," Meter said. "Generating $2 million in local food sales is not easy. Building links among local firms is an effective development strategy. Businesses like Rudy's Tacos that publicize their commitment to local foods, small growers who supply consumers, and an innovative business like Hansen's Farm Fresh Dairy, a family-owned dairy in Hudson, all play important roles."

The Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign, launched by UNI and Practical Farmers of Iowa is active in 53 Iowa counties. The changes since Buy Fresh, Buy Local was implemented in 2003 are wonderful, Carlson said, but the impact can go even further as the NIFF Partnership takes on its new role at UNI with support from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

"People in our area are more and more interested in the foods they consume," Carlson said. "Locally grown produce, meat and dairy are only some of what is available within 50 miles of where we live and shop. The NIFF Partnership seeks to be a resource for consumers, growers, buyers, businesses and organizations that have different interests and needs as they explore this exciting part of our local economy."