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Regional Food Systems Working Group
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Next Regional Food Systems Working Group meeting September 22, 2008, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., location to be announced.
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| New revised A Vision for “Good Food” for Iowa Linking Sustainable Food Systems to Healthy Iowans and Healthy Communities. |
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The Regional Food Systems Working Group met on June 9th , 2008 at the Iowa Arboretum. Guest Speaker Joseph McIntyre, Executive Director of Ag Innovations, presented "Food Systems Alliances."
Click here for presentation |
Best Practices Procedings are avalable. August 2008 [PDF]
Find out more about the Regional Food Systems Funded Projects.
Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Coalition
Northwest Iowa Regional Local Foods System
Southwest Iowa Food and Farm Initiative
Hometown Harvest of SE Iowa
The Group's Mission: (back to top)
- The Regional Food Systems Working Group supports education, conducts research, and facilitates partnerships to increase investment and support of community-based, economically sustainable, and environmentally and socially responsible regional food enterprises.
About the group: (back to top)
- The Regional Food Systems Working Group has selected communities in northeast, southwest and southeast Iowa to build new markets and more effective networks for selling sustainably raised Iowa foods. The communities will receive grants totaling $50,000 and technical assistance over the next year. Read the news release.
- What makes a regional food system vibrant and sustainable? A RFSWG subcommittee outlines key ingredients [PDF]
- Review abstracts and presentations of projects funded by the working group and the Leopold Center Marketing and Food Systems Initiative.
- What challenges do small to midsize food businesses face when working with a large distributor? A RFSWG project worked with three Iowa companies and the SYSCO Corporation, the largest foodservice distributor in North America. Read the final report from this project. [PDF]
- Regional Food Systems Working Group Brochure, June, 2008[PDF]
- More than 40 people participate in the working group. They include small business owners, producers, business, agriculture and engineering professors from ISU, community colleges and other Iowa universities, as well as representatives from several governmental agencies.
- Our working group also has funded a number of grants for research and development conducted by members of the working group. Some of the grantees received additional funds from the Alces Foundation to build upon their work.
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Four communities were selected for grants in December 2007 --Three communities were selected for grants December 2006
--Three grants were issued August 2005
--Six grants were issued January 2005
--Four grants were issued January 2004
The group's objectives: (back to top)
- Research and document existing or potential economic, community and environmental impacts of regional and community-based food and fiber enterprises
- Increase participation and cooperation among various colleges and departments at ISU, other Iowa university business and marketing centers/departments, economic development groups and lending institutions
- Share project results with producers and others throughout the value chain who want to become involved in regional and community-based food system businesses
- Link regional and community-based food system businesses with economic development
- Improve community and ecological health and help farms and agricultural businesses achieve a greater level of success
Projects and Reports: (back to top)
- A Vision for “Good Food” for Iowa Linking Sustainable Food Systems to Healthy Iowans and Healthy Communities. April 2008[PDF]
- Northeast Iowa Local Food Survey Summary Report July 2007 [PFD]
- Updates for Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Coalition, Southwest Iowa Food and Farm Initiative and Home Town Harvest SE Iowa (formerly Southeast Iowa Local Food Network). June 2007 [PDF]
- Naturally Iowa Market Study. Release of Final Report, June 2007 [PDF]
- Updates for Northeast Iowa Food and Farm CoalitionSouthwest Iowa Food and Farm Initiative. March 2007 [PDF]
- Developing Vibrant and Sustainable Regional Food Systems, Update of the RFSWG Special Call, December 2006 [PDF]
- Creating a Vibrant Food and Farm Economy in Northeast Iowa, Update of the Northeast Iowa Food and Farming Coalition and the group's Food and Fitness Initiative, December 2006 [PDF]
- The Cultivators: Cultivating a Regional Food System in Southwest Iowa, Presentation related to food system work in southwest Iowa, December 2006 [PDF]
- Indicators to Measure Success in Building Regional Food Systems, Presentation by Rich Pirog, RFSWG Coordinator, December 2006 [PDF]
- Developing a Vibrant and Sustainable Food System in Southeast Iowa, Presentation related to food system work in southeast Iowa, December 2006 [PDF]
- Developing a Vibrant and Sustainable Regional Food System: Suggestions for Community-Based Groups, Guide with key elements and sample vision statements and indicators, developed by a subcommittee of the Regional Food System Working Group, August 2006 [PDF]
- Characterizing Optimal Business Conditions for Commerce Between Farmers and SYSCO, Jim Ennis, Cooperative Development Services, Final project report, July 2006 [PDF]
- Analysis and Comparison of the Technical and Business Planning Needs of Iowa Farmers Marketing Directly to Consumers and Iowa Farmers Marketing through Supply Chains, Connie Hardy, Mary Holz-Clause, Craig Chase, ISU Extension, June 30, 2006 [PDF]
- Woodbury County Region's Food and Farm Economy, Ken Meter, Crossroads Resource Center, November 2005 [PDF]
- Alces 2005 final report: Local Farm and Food Economy Analysis for Northeast Iowa. [PDF]
- Eating and Buying Wright in North Central Iowa:The Untold Growing Story of Local Food in Wright County, Report of a project by Jan Libbey, 12-19-05 [PDF]
- Investigation of Strategic Partnership Opportunities with Iowa Convenience Store Retailers: Seeking Market Access for Iowa-based, Value-added Food Products, Report of a project by John Norwood, Sue Futrell and Mary Holz-Clause, 11-1-05 [PDF]
- A Place at the Table: Establishing Agricultural Heritage Areas, presentation by Duncan Hilchey, Cornell University Community, Food and Agriculture Program, 11-17-04 [PDF]
- Growing Home: Community development strategies for sustaining local agriculture, seminar by Duncan Hilchey, Cornell University Community, Food and Agriculture Program 11-17-04 [PDF]
- Finding Food in Northeast Iowa, Crossroads Resource Center, 12-20-04 [PDF] View Presentation about project [PDF]
- Examining Awareness of and Support of Regional Food Systems in Iowa, Kay Palan, Iowa State University, 1-26-05 [PDF]
- The Role of Group Action in the Post-Modern Food System: Working With Buyers, Presentation by Peter Goldsmith, University of Illinois, 2-9-05 [PDF]
- Evaluating Economic Impacts of Local Food Purchasing in Several Market Channels in Black Hawk and Surrounding Counties, Kamyar Enshayan, University of Northern Iowa, 4-05 [PDF]
- Consumers, Vendors and the Economic Importance of Iowa Farmers' Markets: An Economic Impact Survey Analysis, Daniel Otto, Iowa State University, March 2005 [PDF]
- Muscatine Melon: A Case Study of a Place-based Food in Iowa, Research report by the Leopold Center, October 2004 [PDF]
- Lessons Learned from the Veneto Food System: How Should the Midwest Differentiate their Food Products?, presentation by Rich Pirog, RFSWG leader, 6-8-04 [PDF]
- Geographical Indications in Italy: An Example of Adding Value for Agricultural Niche Markets, presentation by Roxanne Clemens, MATRIC managing director, 6-8-04 [PDF]
Accomplishments: (back to top)
- Organized in September 2003
- Recruited people committed to make a difference in how value chains develop for regional food system businesses in Iowa
- Received funds for research and development projects
Resources: (back to top)
- Perceptions of the U.S. Food System: What and How Americans Think about Their Food, 96-page report prepared for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 2005 [PDF]
- Farmers on the Land: Agritourism in the European Union, an article by MATRIC's Roxanne Clemens
- Renewing America's Food Traditions, the stories of 20 authentic place-based American foods
- Creating a Regional Food System in the Hudson Valley, Background Paper by the Glynwood Center's Agricultural Initiative
- Capturing the Essence of Place: Fostering Community Development Through Agriculture-based Regional Identity, Project by the Concord Grapebelt Heritage Association
- Regional Food Systems Research: Needs, Priorities, and Recommendations, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin
- Regional Food definition from The Free Dictionary
- Alternative Enterprises and Agritourism, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service
- Agri Tourism, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
- Ag Business Development: Agri Tourism, Missouri Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Innovation Center
- Agritourism: Points to Consider, Developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension
Frequently Asked Questions: (back to top)
Northwest Iowa Food and
Contact info:
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