Investigators will plan and develop a series of workshops to build the capacity of producers in the Cedar Valley to supply institutional markets in the region such as the University of Northern Iowa, supermarkets and a new Cedar Falls Food Co-op. The workshops will cover price negotiations, identifying crops, online ordering systems, food safety training, business planning and management. They also will work on building networks among farmers and with key buyers. They hope to draw upon a large number of Burmese refugees who have settled in the region with agrarian backgrounds who have expressed interest in farm business development.
Michelle Temeyer is director of the Black Hawk County Extension, a position she has held since 2012 to direct all programs and staff for the Black Hawk County Extension Council. Prior to joining extension in 2010, she served as director of community education for the Waterloo Community School District. She has a degree in public administration and political science from Luther College.
Email: temeyer@iastate.edu
Northern Iowa Food & Farm Partnership and University of Northern Iowa