Local Food in Iowa http://www.growinca.org/LocalFood.htm
http://www.localharvest.org

ORGANIC PAGE for more news
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Eating organic, local food isn't just good for your health-- it's good for the environment and local farmers, too! Download pdf files to help educate on local production.  For links to great information about agriculture and food production visit Iowa Network for Community Agriculture.

Iowa has an abundance of great farmer's markets, natural foods stores, and restaurants working to integrate more local and organic ingredients into their menus.  Iowa also has a great publication called Edible Iowa River Valley Celebrating the abundance of local foods season by season while they ".....debunk the popular misconception that Iowa is a two or three- flavor state."  Visit Edible Iowa Reiver Valley's web site for e-news and recipes or to subscribe.

Making the choice to support local farmers and avoid foods processed with harmful chemicals can have a huge impact on your health, the environment and the local economy, so we've compiled a list of resources to make it easier to eat organic and buy local in Iowa.  

Iowa News and Alert Page (RSS Feed)   

The Organic Consumers website has a wealth of information for anyone trying to eat organic and buy local.

The Des Moines Farmer's Market

Iowa Network for Community Agriculture

Valley Junction Farmer's Market

Drake Neighborhood Farmers Market

Turtle Farm - Community Supported Agriculture

Farm to Folk - Ames CSA

2007 Report on Iowa's Local Food Sytems by the Iowa Policy Project

List of organizations and programs involved in small farm work in our state

Practical Farmers of Iowa
Description: Local Foods Initiatives, Value Chains for Identity Preserved and Specialty Meats, On-Farm Research, Outreach and Education include Field tours, Annual Winter Educational meeting, Youth development and education include an annual summer youth camp.

Iowa Network for Community Agriculture
Description: Local Foods Initiatives, Annual Outreach and Education meeting, Community Field Days/Dinners, mentoring support for new growers, quarterly newsletter, website: http://www.growinca.org

Southeast Iowa Nut Growers
Description: brochures, field days

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Description: Value-Chains for Identity-Preserved and Local Products, Local Foods Initiatives, Research and Business Development Grants, outreach and education programs

Beginning Farmer Center, ISU
Description: programs, brochures, speakers, and assistance. Mike Duffy, e-mail: mduffy@iastate.edu

Iowa State University Extension Sustainable Ag Program
Description: workshops, website, programs, speakers, manuals, bulletins. Jerry DeWitt e-mail: jdewitt@iastate.edu

Iowa State University Extension Organic Ag Program
Description: workshops, website, programs, speakers, manuals, bulletins, annual conference. Kathleen Delate, e-mail: kdelate@iastate.edu

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Description: Assistance to Limited Resource Farmers and Beginning Farmers through technical and financial assistance. Future Organic Farmers in Iowa Program, mentoring program for transitioning organic Iowa farmers. Biological Composting Project for small and organic farmers in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin (partnering with Organic Crop Improvement Association in Iowa Chapter 4 and Iowa State University). Diversity Gardens (multi-cultural community gardens) in 2 locations in Iowa. (Lead organization is Ag Connect). Women, Land and Legacy, an educational and technical assistance project for women in agriculture in Iowa. This project is just beginning and is a project of the USDA State Outreach Council in Iowa.

Funding sources

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture - http://www.leopold.iastate.edu

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Description: Currently, the only official funding for small farmers is included in the Farm Bill conservation programs. There is the possibility of some additional funding for projects that benefit a group of small farmers, depending on the federal budget. Tanya Meyer-Dideriksen, State Outreach Coordinator, 300 W Welsh St., PO Box 87, Williamsburg, IA 52361, (319)668-8110, e-mail: tanya.meyer@ia.usda.gov

Websites

Agricultural Marketing Resource Center - www.agmrc.org

Extension Sustainable Agriculture Program - extension.agron.iastate.edu/sustag/

Practical Farmers of Iowa - www.pfi.iastate.edu

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture - www.ialocalfood.org/inca.html

Beginning Farmer Center - www.extension.iastate.edu/bfc/

Organic Agriculture - Iowa State University - www.extension.iastate.edu/bfc/

Kitchen Incubators and Other Food Related Small Business - www.extension.iastate.edu/incubator/

Data for Decision Makers (demographic, income, retail trade, agricultural, and child and family information for every Iowa County) - www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/D4D.html

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/D4D.html (national site)

Publications

Iowa Laws: Sale of Home-prepared Foods - www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1294.pdf

Selling Food Products: A business from your home - www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/NCR259.pdf

Local Food Connections: From Farms to Schools - www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1853A.pdf

Selling Fruits and Vegetables - www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1887.pdf

Local Food Systems for Iowa: CSA - www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1692.pdf

Iowa CSA Farms: 2003 Statewide List of Iowa CSA Farms, Producers, and Organizers - www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1693.pdf

Organic Agriculture - www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1880.pdf

A variety of pamphlets and fact sheets regarding conservation opportunities are available at local USDA Service Centers and on the NRCS website.

Newsletters

Acreage Living - www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/communications/acreage/

Woodland Owners Newsletter - www.ag.iastate.edu/departments/forestry/ext/nletter.html

Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts mail quarterly newsletters to farmers in their local counties on a quarterly basis. Contact your local NRCS office to make sure your name and address are on the mailing list.

Regular events (annual workshops, field days, tours, etc.)

Iowa Organic Conference - annually in November

Practical Farmers of Iowa winter meeting - annually in January

Practical Farmers of Iowa summer field tours - 8 to 20 each spring, summer, and fall

Iowa Network for Community Agriculture winter meeting - www.growinca.org/2004conference.html

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Events are scheduled as needed according to conservation program opportunities.

Other Small Farm Resources

Iowa Farmers Union - www.iafu.org/

Iowa RC&D Areas - www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov/partnerships/rcanddlist.html

NRCS State Outreach Coordinator, Tanya Meyer-Dideriksen - tanya.meyer@ia.usda.go

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