Since 1999, HRIM Extension faculty and staff have been conducting research and outreach projects to link local, sustainable food producers with foodservice operations. To accomplish this goal, HRIM has completed a number of education, research, and outreach activities for those involved in food procurement.
The most recent activity was a workshop on April 3, 2007 for local, sustainable producers to discuss on-farm safe food handling practices and provide an update on the latest food safety research related to Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). The workshop was co-sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.
Projects / Presentations
- 2009 - Garden to Plate, Sioux City - Catherine Strohbehn, HRIM Extension
- 2007 - Catherine Strohbehn, HRIM Extension; Sam Beattie, FSHN Extension: Neric Smith, County Extension Director, Jefferson County.
Pilot workshops helped producers understand and address best practice in food handling. Participants focused on the human element in controlling against contamination of food while on the farm and addressed procurement concerns of retail foodservices. Topics related to safe food handling during harvest, post-harvest, transportation and delivery, and policy development were covered. Producers learned how to communicate with foodservice operators and learned effective marketing skills.
- Safe Food Handling Practices on the Farm (Fairfield, IA)
- Agenda
- Presentations
- Related Handouts
- 2006 - Sharma, Amit. Economic viability of Local Food Marketing for Restaurant Operations and Growers/Producers in Iowa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the economic costs and benefits, and non-economic factors that influence restaurants and producers to buy/sell locally grown/produced foods. This project was funded by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Project M17-05.
- 2006 - Ellis, J. & Gregoire, M.B. Using Contracts to Expand Produce Market Opportunities
- 2004 - Strohbehn, C., Henroid, D., and Ellis, J. Evaluating on-farm food handling practices and microbiological quality of locally grown produce and eggs. Final Report on Farm Food Safety Leopold Project 2004
- 2002 - Institutional and Commercial Food Service Buyers Perceptions of Local Foods
- Produce Profitability Calculator
Produce Profitability Calculator Instruction Manual
Recent Projects and Accomplishments:
- 2007 Enhanced Marketing Tool Kit Effect - This report summarizes a project conducted by South Dakota State University as a follow up effort to earlier works by Strohbehn and Gregoire.
- 2005 - A Checklist for Purchasing Local Produce - provided to School Nutrition Association members in attendance at the Annual Nutrition Conference in Baltimore, MD.
- 2003 - On-Farm Food Safety Workshop for Sustainable Producers, Ames, IA, sponsored with the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
- 2003 - Presented a Report to the Iowa Food Policy Council
- 2002 - From Farm to Fork: A Forum on Locally Grown Foods at University Campuses, Ames, IA, sponsored with the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
- 2001 - Connecting Growers and Foodservice Operators Workshop, Ames, IA, sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
- 2001 - Conducted needs assessment in Iowa Schools.
- 2001 - Report issued to the Governor’s Local Food Task Force.
- 2000 - Led development of a USDA Midwest Regional Conference, sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Department of Education, Practical Farmers of Iowa, and Iowa State University Extension
- 1999 - Value Added Ag 21 Grant with Nevada (IA) School
Refereed Journal Publications:
- Strohbehn, C.H. & Gregoire, M.B. 2004 Local foods: From farms to college and university foodservice. Journal of Foodservice Management and Education, 1(1).
- Ellis, J.D., Strohbehn, C.A., & Henroid, Jr., D.H. (2005). Assessing on-farm food handling practices of Iowa-grown produce and eggs in regard to food safety. Food Protection Trends, 25, 758-761.
- Gregoire, M.B., Arendt, S.W., & Strohbehn, C.H. (2005). Iowa Producers' Perceived Benefits and Obstacles in Marketing to Local Restaurants and Institutional Foodservice Operations. Journal of Extension [On-line], 43(1), Article 1RIB1.
- Strohbehn, C.H. & Gregoire, M.B. (2003). Case Studies of Local Food Purchasing by Central Iowa Restaurants and Institutions. Foodservice Research International, 14, 53-64.
- Gregoire, M. & Strohbehn, C. (2002). Benefits and Obstacles to Purchasing Food From Local Growers and Producers. The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, 26. Retrieved December 3, 2003, from http://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/02spring/gregoire/
- Strohbehn, C., & Gregoire, M.B. (2001). Innovations in school food purchasing: connecting to local food. The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, 25 (2), 62-65.
Extension Publications:
Additional Local Foods Resources related to foodservice operations: