Value Chain Partnerships
Value Chain Partnerships (VCP) is an Iowa-based network for food and agriculture working groups. The project is led by the Leopold Center Marketing and Food Systems Initiative and includes ISU, ISU Extension and Practical Farmers of Iowa as core partners.
The Leopold Center leads the Regional Food Systems Working Group, one of five working groups in the VCP project. All groups are organized as a community of practice that leverages funds expertise to identify food and agriculture system challenges, foster learning and innovation and implement solutions.
Local foods in Iowa
Through the Regional Food Systems Working Group, the Leopold Center Marketing and Food System Initiative supports local food system efforts in these areas:
- Hometown Harvest of Southeast Iowa (Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Van Buren and Wapello counties), led by the Pathfinders RC&D, Fairfield
- Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Coalition (Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties), led by Iowa State University Extension, Decorah
- South West Iowa Food and Farm Initiative (Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Guthrie, Montgomery, Pottawattomie and Shelby counties), led by the Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development, Lewis
- Northern Iowa Food and Farm Partnership (Black Hawk and neighboring counties) led by the UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education
- Northwest Iowa Regional Local Foods System (Cherokee, Ida, Monona, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury), led by the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market program in Sioux City (no web site available) and
- Marshall County (no web site developed yet)