Hilton Garden InnAmes, IA

Iowa Local Food and Farm Plan Working Session October 11, 2010

WELCOME!

Local Food and Farm Plan Amendment 2010 Iowa Legislative Session

LOCAL FOOD AND FARM PLAN.

To the extent 

feasible, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture 

established pursuant to section 266.39 shall prepare a local 

food and farm plan

containing policy and funding 

recommendations for supporting and expanding local food 

systems and for assessing and overcoming obstacles 

necessary to increase locally grown food production.

The 

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture shall submit the 

plan to the general assembly by January 10, 2011.

The plan 

shall include recommendations for short‐term and long‐term 

solutions, including but not limited to the enactment of 

legislation. 

Leopold Center Timeline for Developing the Iowa Local 

Food and Farm Plan

Research Iowa’s local 

food infrastructureReview other state's 

reports on local foodDevelop feedback 

processes  

Inform stakeholders 

about the AmendmentBegin analyzing 

preliminary data from 

various sources

June –

September 2010June 24th Food and Farm Plan 

Working Session

Individual feedback 

and meetingsLocal listening 

sessionsConduct online survey

Analyze, synthesize, 

develop first draft 

Take key strategies and develop 

“actionable”

recommendationsDevelop complete draft of reportDue diligence on recommendations

October – November 2010

October 11 Working Session Goals

1.

Review summary of feedback on obstacles and 

strategies

2.

Share key issues identified and work teams

3.

Take key issues and accompanying strategies and 

develop “actionable”

recommendations for use in the 

Iowa Local Food and Farm Plan

‐

is it feasible for the Iowa legislature to use recommendation as

a base for bill or amendment?

4.

Identify additional data need to complete 

recommendations, and share ideas on generating 

funds needed to implement recommendations

Decatur

Clayton

Adams LucasClarke

Ringgold

Mahaska

DavisAppanooseWayne

Marion

Delaware

Taylor

Washington

Henry

Allamakee

Poweshiek

Keokuk

Union

Warren

JeffersonMontgomery

Iowa

Plymouth

Mills

Calhoun

Winneshiek

Dubuque

Cherokee

Guthrie

Marshall

Page Van Buren

Monroe

Adair

Lyon

Wapello

Butler

Jones

Kossuth

Benton

Louisa

Jackson

Tama

Emmet

Greene

Harrison

Grundy

Jasper

Bremer

O'Brien

Lee

Story

Ida

Carroll

Fayette

Fremont

Buena Vista

Howard

Webster

Muscatine

Hardin

Audubon

Sioux

Cedar

Humboldt

Black Hawk

Wright

Worth

Chickasaw

Madison

Osceola

Johnson

Pottawattamie

Boone

HamiltonSac

Floyd

Monona

Pocahontas

Linn

Woodbury

Shelby

Des Moines

Winnebago

Franklin

Dickinson

Buchanan

Clay

Crawford

Cerro Gordo

Scott

Clinton

Mitchell

Dallas

Palo Alto

Polk

Hancock

Cass

0%

<1%

1 – 1.9%

2 – 4.9%

5 – 6.9%

7 ‐

10%

County of Residence (Percent of Total Survey and Listening Session Respondents)

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

Percent of Respondents 

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

RacePercent of Respondents 

(Survey and Listening 

Session)

White Only 97.4

Multiple Races 1.1

Hispanic Only 0.6

Asian Only 0.3

Native Hawaiian Only 0.3

African American or Black Only 0.2

American Indian or Alaskan 

Native Only

0.2

Gender

Percent of 

Respondents 

(Survey and 

Listening Session)

Male 49.8

Female 50.2

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because respondents 

could choose more than one occupation.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two sectors.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

Decatur

Clayton

Adams LucasClarke

Ringgold

Mahaska

DavisAppanooseWayne

Marion

Delaware

Taylor

Washington

Henry

Allamakee

Poweshiek

Keokuk

Union

Warren

JeffersonMontgomery

Iowa

Plymouth

Mills

Calhoun

Winneshiek

Dubuque

Cherokee

Guthrie

Marshall

Page Van Buren

Monroe

Adair

Lyon

Wapello

Butler

Jones

Kossuth

Benton

Louisa

Jackson

Tama

Emmet

Greene

Harrison

Grundy

Jasper

Bremer

O'Brien

Lee

Story

Ida

Carroll

Fayette

Fremont

Buena Vista

Howard

Webster

Muscatine

Hardin

Audubon

Sioux

Cedar

Humboldt

Black Hawk

Wright

Worth

Chickasaw

Madison

Osceola

Johnson

Pottawattamie

Boone

HamiltonSac

Floyd

Monona

Pocahontas

Linn

Woodbury

Shelby

Des Moines

Winnebago

Franklin

Dickinson

Buchanan

Clay

Crawford

Cerro Gordo

Scott

Clinton

Mitchell

Dallas

Palo Alto

Polk

Hancock

Cass

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

Decatur

Clayton

Adams Lucas

AppanooseWayne

Delaware

Taylor

Henry

Allamakee

Montgomery

Plymouth

Mills

Calhoun

Winneshiek

Dubuque

Cherokee

Guthrie

Page Van Buren

Monroe

Adair

Lyon

Butler

Kossuth

Emmet

Greene

Harrison

Grundy

Jasper

Bremer

O'Brien

Lee

Ida

Carroll

Fayette

Fremont

Buena Vista

Howard

WebsterHardin

Audubon

Sioux

Humboldt

Black Hawk

Wright

Worth

Chickasaw

Osceola

Pottawattamie

HamiltonSac

Floyd

Monona

Pocahontas

Woodbury

Shelby

Des Moines

Winnebago

Franklin

Dickinson

Buchanan

Clay

Crawford

Cerro Gordo

Mitchell

Palo Alto

Polk

Hancock

Cass

Percent of Total Regional Expertise(Survey and Listening Session Respondents)

Sector Identified by Listening Sessions asNeeding the Most Attention

Sector Identified by Listening Session as Needing the Most 

Attention 

Aggregate score where (3=1st priority 2=2nd priority 1=3rd priority) 

Percent of Listening Sessions Choosing the 

Sector 

Percent of Regions 

Choosing the Sector 

Crop production  9  30.8%  50.0% Livestock production  0  0.0%  0.0% Processing  5  15.4%  25.0% Aggregation and distribution  12  53.8%  87.5% Marketing and market venues  18  53.8%  62.5% Food safety, regulations, and 

policy  3  7.7%  12.5% Financial assistance  12  46.2%  50.0% Beginning and underserved 

farmers  4  23.1%  37.5% Planning  4  23.1%  25.0% Consumers  13  46.2%  62.5%  

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Crop productionLivestock production

ProcessingAggregation and distributionMarketing and market venues

Food safety and policyFinancial assistance

Beginning and underservedPlanning

Consumers

Percent of listening sessions choosing the sector Percent of regions choosing the sector

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

*Responses do not total 100% because 

respondents could choose up to two obstacles.

Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan ‐

2010

Arriving at key issues

• Synthesizing and categorizing feedback – June 24th

meeting

– Listening sessions– Surveys– One on one or group conversations

Issue 1Farmers, processors, and food entrepreneurs need access to affordable loans to start and grow businesses.

Farmers, processors, and  food entrepreneurs need  incentives (such as tax 

credits, tax rebates,  grants, and equipment 

cost‐share programs) to  supply markets.

Issue 2

Existing and beginning farmers  need access to land and water to 

initiate or expand operations.

Issue 3

Farmers, processors, and food entrepreneurs need affordable and comprehensive insurance products to minimize risks in crop production, liability, and health.

Issue 4

Existing and beginning farmers, processors, and food entrepreneurs need education and technical assistance to develop profitable enterprises.

Issue 5

Small- and mid-sized farmers need customized environmental and food safety regulations to be profitable, protect natural resources, and ensure food safety.

Issue 6

Farmers and processors need access to a skilled, affordable, and reliable workforce.

Issue 7

Iowa needs investment in  aggregation, distribution,  storage, and processing facilities 

(such as cold storage,  packinghouses, and distribution 

warehouses) to reach existing  and new markets with high 

quality local food products.

Issue 8

Iowa needs marketing networks for local food processors, food entrepreneurs, and farmers.

Issue 9

Consumers need better access to local foods and more information about local foods.

Issue 10

More coordination and data collection on the state of local foods is needed within and across organizations. Agencies supplying technical assistance, financial assistance, and regulatory oversight to local food producers, processors, and entrepreneurs need to be better coordinated.

Issue 11

Iowa needs innovative and creative ways beyond tax instruments and funding reallocation to pay for programs and assistance to build a strong local food business sector.

Issue 12

Developing draft  recommendations

• Review ground rules

• Review issue, potential strategies, example recommendations 

and checklist

• Using existing strategies as base, identify “Actionable”

recommendations

• Discuss and prioritize “Actionable”

recommendations

• Identify info (data) needed to complete each 

recommendation

• Identify resources (if needed) to support recommendation

• Report back to large group

Due diligencefinal revisions 

Take key strategies and develop 

“actionable”

recommendationsDevelop complete draft of reportDue diligence on recommendations

Submit final report to 

Iowa legislature and 

release to public

December 2010

January 2011

October – November 2010