Leaders of more than 30 projects funded by the Marketing and Food Systems Initiative and the Regional Food Systems Working Group (also coordinated by the Center) presented summaries of their work to more than 150 people during the day-long event in Ames. Topics ranged from development of markets for goat meat in northwest Iowa and place-based tourism in northeast Iowa, to consumer research on sustainably-raised foods and the economic impacts of regional food enterprises.

“The Iowa projects that we have supported are truly on the cutting edge of new market strategies for food and fiber enterprises,” said Rich Pirog, who leads the Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative. “The tools and research findings from these projects can be used to help farmer-led food and fiber businesses succeed.”

Pirog said attendance exceeded expectations, despite a winter storm that brought frigid temperatures and hazardous driving conditions to the central and southern parts of the state. Participants included farmers, educators, researchers, economic development officials and owners of food businesses. It was the first event to offer a comprehensive view of the Marketing and Food Systems Initiative.

Headlining the workshop was a demonstration of the new Iowa Produce Market Potential Calculator, a web-based program that looks at supply and demand for 37 fruits and vegetables grown in Iowa.

Also premiered was Iowa Market Maker, a web-based mapping system that finds producers and markets for agricultural products. Modeled after a similar project in Illinois, the web site can help a grocery store find farm-fresh eggs or a farmer find a place to sell them. About a third of the development costs was provided by a Leopold Center grant, with other support from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center and the Iowa State University Extension Value Added Agriculture program. The new web site is scheduled to become active in early January 2006.
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Other presentations reported on videos and worksheets for producers interested in vineyards and wineries, a web site for organic processors, new business planning programs for farmers and other entrepreneurs, natural and organic meat production, and place-based foods.