Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
1/14/00
Contacts:
Jan Libbey, Iowa Network for Community Agriculture, (515)
495-6367, libland@Kalnet.com
Gary Guthrie, Iowa Network for Community Agriculture, (515)
382-3117, nguthrie@iastate.edu
Shelly Gradwell, Extension Sustainable Agriculture Program,
(515) 294-0887, shellyg@iastate.edu
Elaine Edwards, Extension Communication Systems, (515)
294-5168, eedwards@iastate.edu
Iowa Farmers Feed Iowans, 5th Annual Iowa Local Food System Conference
AMES, Iowa -- Iowa farmers and consumers are creating a local food chain where food no longer travels thousands of miles to get to the dinner table and where shorter and tighter links in the chain are creating healthier communities.
Learn about local food projects at "The 5th Annual Iowa Local Food System Conference" on Saturday, Jan. 29, at Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines. Registration is $10. The conference sessions include:
* a round-table discussion highlighting new local food projects from across Iowa;
* eight workshops--ranging from organic certification covering the status of national and Iowa organic standards, to the politics of local food; and focusing on local food systems current government intiatives in Iowa; and
* a presentation on the successes and challenges of local food system efforts by Jerry DeWitt, Iowa State University director of Sustainable Agriculture Extension.
This conference is sponsored by the Iowa Network for Community Agriculture, the ISU Sustainable Agriculture Extension program, Practical Farmers of Iowa's Field to Family Community Food Project and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
"This conference is important because it gives consumers the opportunity to meet farmers and experience what is involved in the decision-making process of a small farmer," said Denise O'Brien, an Atlantic farmer and coordinator of Women, Food and Agriculture Network, who is facilitating a panel discussion at the conference.
The interest in locally grown food for both private homes and restaurants has grown in recent years, however, the interest also poses a challenge due to the limited number of farmers participating in local food systems. "Growing food sustainably for local consumers is one of the few bright spots in Iowa's agricultural landscape. In fact, right now food production isn't keeping up with demand," said Larry Cleverley, Mingo farmer and owner of Cleverley Farms.
Local food systems promote relationships between people who are developing sustainable local food sources that are safe and healthy for people and the ecosystem. The Iowa Network for Community Agriculture was formed in 1996 in response to the growth of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and other local food projects in Iowa.
"CSAs unite individuals who pledge to support a farm and share both the risks and the benefits of food production," said Shelly Gradwell, ISU Extension Sustainable Agriculture Program. "Typically, CSA farmers use organic or sustainable farming methods and strive to provide fresh, high-quality foods. Most CSAs offer diverse vegetables, fruits and herbs in season; some provide a full array of farm products, including eggs, meat, milk, baked goods, honey and even firewood."
Many CSA farmers enjoy the chance to educate others about the challenges of raising good food. As farmers and families consider leaving agriculture, CSAs and local food systems provide new options for staying on the farm and helping to revitalize rural society, Gradwell said.
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Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.