by Leigh Adcock, communications specialist More than 180 Iowa produce growers took a Produce Safety Alliance grower training course from ISU Extension and Outreach in 2017-18. They attended in order to learn how to comply with new federal food safety regulations. Last spring we sent them a one-year follow-up survey. (See full results.) Eighty-nine percent … Continue reading Produce Safety Alliance trainings help Iowa growers comply with FSMA
by Teresa Wiemerslage, field specialist Farmers are navigating new rules related to the growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fresh produce. Some terms are new, and some practices are now required by law. This new food safety landscape has farmers wondering what systems are needed on their farms. I created this graphic to help farmers … Continue reading Tiers of on-farm food safety
by Kayla Koether, food systems specialist Iowa’s local food hubs are a tight-knit group. They learn from each other and work together to strengthen the local foods economy, meeting regularly as part of the Food Hub Managers Working Group (FHMWG). Yet, Iowa’s food hubs are a study in diversity. They cover distinct geographic regions, operate … Continue reading Global Greens shares origin story with fellow food hubs
by Emily Coll, program coordinator Farmers manage many spinning plates like any other business owner: production, accounts receivable/payable, marketing, customer service, research and development and more. And there is only so much time in the day. The FFED Program won a grant from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Resource Center to develop enterprise budgets that incorporate … Continue reading Enterprise budgets help farmers calculate crop profitability