Local Food Groups Invited to Dec. 14 Regional Food Meeting

AMES, Iowa – Organizations and individuals who are developing local food systems in their community or region are invited to join others throughout Iowa who are doing the same thing at the winter meeting of the Regional Food Systems Working Group of Iowa on Friday, Dec. 14.

The group, also known as RFSWG, gathers quarterly so its members can share and learn from one another. Membership represents 17 local food groups covering 88 counties in Iowa. The group was formed in 2003 by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

Jessica Burtt Fogarty, assistant RFSWG coordinator, said each group will provide highlights of activities during the past year. In the afternoon, managers of two of Iowa’s largest produce auctions, in Cedar Valley and Drakesville, will discuss their operations and answer questions.

The meeting will be in the South Ballroom of the ISU Memorial Union in Ames. Activities are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  There is no fee to attend, but participants are asked to register ahead of time online at: http://winter_rfswg.eventbrite.com/#.

For more information about participating organizations and where the local groups are doing their work, go to the RFSWG website at: https://sites.google.com/site/iowarfswg/.

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