Community Based Food Systems
Two Parallel Food Systems
Industrial
• Focus on corn, soy and
CAFO pork, chicken and
beef
• Large property sizes
• Heavy machinery required
• Work with only a few large
corporations throughout
the world
Community Based
• Focus on Specialty crops,
pastured pork, poultry, and
beef
• Small property sizes
• Minimal equipment needs
• Work directly with
consumers
Industrial
Food Systems
The top five industrial agricultural
commodities in Iowa are: corn, hogs,
soybeans, cattle, and dairy.
The primary uses of these crops are to:
1. Feed livestock
2. Produce High Fructose Corn Syrup
3. Produce Hydrogenated Oil
4. Provide Affordable Poultry, Pork and
Beef proteins
The technologies and adaptations in
commodity agriculture, whether you
like it or not, have helped make more
types of food products available at
very low cost to people around the
world.
media.artdiamondblog.com/.../Ski-Iowa-small.jpg
Community Based
Food Systems
Produce whole food crops not typically
intended for intensive processing.
Distribution is usually done on a local
scale; crops not intended to leave the
community or region where they are
produced.
Products are sold directly to
consumers or institutions, very few
third party distribution partners.
*The Elements of a
Local Food System
• Healthy food, including fresh produce and leaner,
grass based meats
• Stewardship practiced particularly by farmers but
also considering the distance food travels and other
post harvest practices
• Access to healthy food for people at all income
levels, not just for well-to-do “foodies”
• A livable wage for farm-workers and a decent
livelihood for farmers
*Anthony Flaccavento
What is a Value Chain?
• A value chain is a supply chain that is designed to link supply with markets
efficiently, but to do so while promoting certain core values
– Equity and fair pay: for farmers, farm-workers, food producers,
businesses and workers in the supply chain
– Sustainability: beginning with more resilient farming practices, but
also considering the total footprint or production, processing, shipping
etc
– Community Capacity: to better meet its own food needs and to build a
more self-reliant economy, primarily through locally owned
infrastructure and assets
– Health and Food Access: for all, with a particular concern for people of
limited means
Anthony Flaccavento
What
What This
This Could
Could Look
Look Like
Like
The farmer that sell’s direct:
The farmer that wholesale’s:
• Grows on less than an acre
• Typically is un-mechanized
• Grows up to 50 different varieties
of fruits and vegetables
• Invests in season extending
technologies such as cold-frames
• Markets direct to individuals,
farmers markets and CSA’s
• Can scale-up to wholesaling after
success in direct markets
• Grows on a minimum of 2 acres
• Requires machinery to maintain
efficiencies
• Grows 3-5 varieties of fruits or
vegetables
• Invests in greenhouses and hightunnels for season extension and
year-round growing
• Markets to grocers, hospitals,
schools, institutions
• Often participates in direct
marketing as well
Filling in the Gaps
Farmers Markets
• Every Farmers Market in the
region needs more fruit,
vegetable, and niche meat
vendors.
• There are many
communities and
organizations that want to
start farmers markets but
can’t find enough vendors.
What Sells
• Most vendors already grow
and sell the standards:
tomatoes, onions, zucchini,
turnips, etc.
• New vendors should
consider differentiated
products: niche meats,
heirloom varieties, baby
vegetables, gourmet
vegetables and FRUIT!
An Iowa Farmer’s Market
“Farmers market means a marketplace which
seasonally operates principally as a common
market for fresh fruits and vegetables on a retail
basis for off-the-premises consumption”
– Iowa Food Code 137F.1.
Iowa Farm Enterprises
Past & Present
• In 1920 more than 75% of ALL
Iowa farms raised: horses,
cattle, chicken, corn, hogs,
apples, hay, and oats!
• Up to 62% of farms also
raised: cherries, wheat, plums,
grapes, ducks, geese,
strawberry, pears, mules,
sheep, timothy, peaches, bees,
barley, raspberry, turkeys,
watermelon, syrup sorghum,
gooseberry, sweet corn,
apricots, tomatoes, cabbage,
popcorn, AND currants!
• In 2002 the primary crops
grown were: corn,
soybeans, hay, cattle,
horses, hogs, and chickens.
• Roughly 1% of Iowa farms
raised oats, sheep, goats,
duck, and geese.
• Other crops were not grown
in significant enough
amounts to track.
Growing What We Eat
•Apples
•Apricots
•Asparagus
•Beans (Snap)
•Blackberries
•Blueberries
•Broccoli
•Cabbage
•Cantaloupes
•Carrots
•Cauliflower
•Cherries
•Cucumbers
•Eggplant
•Garlic
•Grapes
•Greens/Collards/Lettuce (Head)
•Lettuce (Leaf)
•Nectarines
•Okra
•Onions
•Peaches
•Pears
•Peppers (Bell)
•Plums
•Potatoes (Sweet)
•Potatoes (all the others)
•Pumpkins
•Radishes
•Raspberries
•Spinach
•Squash
•Strawberries
•Sweet Corn
•Tomatoes
•Watermelons
Filling in the Gaps
Farm to School
• Local food producers can
work with their local
school’s food service
program to help improve
access to fresh and
nutritious food in our
community schools. From
kindergarten through
college – campuses are
embracing local food.
Farm to Institution
• Farmers and ranchers can
sell product directly to
hospitals, care facilities,
restaurants, grocery stores,
correctional facilities, etc.
• Be willing to work with their
requirements to create a
strong professional
relationship.
Farm to School in Iowa
In 2007, Iowa lawmakers passed Farm to School legislation to establish a
program that would link elementary, secondary, public and non-public schools
with Iowa farmers; provide schools with fresh and minimally processed Iowa
grown food for inclusion in school meals and snacks; and to encourage
children to develop healthy eating habits and provide them with hands-on
learning opportunities, such as farm visits, cooking demonstrations, and
school gardening and composting programs.
The Farm to School Program is coordinated by the Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship in partnership with the Iowa Department of
Education and a seven-member Farm to School Council. The Iowa Farm to
School Program will reach out to communities to establish strong
partnerships.
Filling in the Gaps
Land
• It doesn’t take much land to put
in a garden – it doesn’t take too
big a garden to feed your family
or sell at a farmers market.
• Western Iowa Development
Association has developed a landbank of small (1/10th acre and up)
parcels available for rent/lease in
the area; specifically to local food
producers.
• We are working to create
community gardens so that those
without land can use public land
to grow food.
Lot’s of Land
• For people that want to
acquire ten or more acres of
land: there are programs
that can offer guaranteed
loans and business
development assistance.
• We have a strong coalition
that can help new or
expanding food producers
access land.
Filling in the Gaps
Regulations & Policy
Food Safety
• The local food coordinator, the
local food policy councils, the
RC&D, and many state & local
agencies are available and
willing to help local food
producers navigate the web of
policies, inspections,
regulations, rules, and issues
that can impact production.
• How could forming a local
food policy council help your
communities?
• Food Safety should be one of our
top priorities as we work to
create an economically successful
local food system. Developing
strong standards in local food
production will protect all of us.
• Local food system champions
should be prepared to help
consumers, purchasers, and
producers understand what they
can do to ensure the safety of the
food system.
Scaling Up Beyond Farmers Markets
The following checklist is only a few of things a farmer or rancher needs to think about before
starting a new business or expanding the scope of an existing one.
CAN YOU PROVIDE SERVICES TO MEET THESE NEEDS?
1. Business plan: Have you developed a business plan that is an
operating manual for your business?
2. Business entities: Have you selected the business entity that
best fits your business plan?
3. Insurance: Have you reviewed your insurance coverage for your
business recently and made sure you have adequate coverage?
4. Food safety: Have you taken the time to determine how food
safety rules fit into your present and future business plan?
5. Equipment and packaging: Have you reviewed your
equipment and packaging materials to make sure they are
food grade?
6. Finance: Have you reviewed your business plan with your
banker and lined up adequate financing?
7. Marketing plan: Have you identified your prospective
customers and determined how to market to them?
8. Equipment plan: Have you priced and located the type of
equipment you will need to conduct your business?
9. Facility plan: Have you determined what facility you will use and
if you will need a new or different facility?
From Selling to Institutions: An Iowa Farmer’s Guide by Robert Luedeman & Neil D
Hamilton Drake University Agricultural Law Center
What Can a Local Food Working
Group Do?
1. Identify all existing local food producers.
2. Identify all existing local food value chains.
3. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to
the Fremont County Local Food System.
4. Develop and implement actionable plans to build on
strengths, encourage opportunities, overcome weaknesses
and alleviate threats.
5. Work with policy makers within the county to engender an
environment that supports local food production and
consumption.
Filling in the Gaps
Local Lockers
• Currently we are incredibly
lucky to have small, local
meat and poultry lockers in
SW Iowa.
• Most regions in Iowa have
seen their local lockers
close.
Federal Inspection
• Unfortunately without
Federal inspection local
niche meat producers who
want to sell to: restaurants,
institutions (schools,
hospitals, care facilities,
jails, etc) or anywhere
across state lines, haul their
livestock out of state for
processing.
Federally Inspected Processing =
Economic Development
• Current state inspection in Iowa is an EXACT replica of Federal
Inspection. There is no regulatory difference. Currently all
lockers in SW Iowa are state inspected.
• Hauling livestock has negative impact in many ways: it’s hard
on the animals, sends dollars out of state – dollars that don’t
come back, and is a time consuming activity for producers.
• Local processing with federal inspection would keep more of
our hard earned money in our communities, shorten
distances animals have to be hauled for processing, and
create more markets for local, niche meat and poultry
products.
Regulating Agencies
will they work with local food producers in your communities?
•
•
•
•
•
•
For Farmers Markets
Iowa Department of
Inspections and Appeals
County & City Departments
of Public Health
Iowa Food code
Iowa Department of
Agriculture and land
Stewardship
FDA
Food Safety Inspection
Service
•
•
•
•
•
•
For Wholesale
Iowa Department of
Inspections and Appeals
County & City Departments
of Public Health
Iowa Food code
Iowa Department of
Agriculture and land
Stewardship
FDA
Food Safety Inspection
Service
Filling in the Gaps
What Counties Can Do
• Asses what planning and
zoning regulations impact
local food production
• Meet with local food
producers to find common
ground
• Amend policy to ensure
small farmers and ranchers
are getting the support they
need to fully develop their
operations.
What We All Can Do
• Understand that by working
together we can accomplish
more.
• Try to see the situation from
everyone’s perspective –
not just your own.
• Be willing to compromise –
a little progress today may
lead to lots of progress
tomorrow.
How Does Fremont County Define a “farm”
Federal, State, & Local Policy Definitions of “A Farm”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The US Census defines a farm as any place from which $1,000 or more of
agricultural products were produced and sold during the census year.
Iowa state code defines a farm as ten acres or more of land in agricultural use.
The Pottawattamie County Assessor defines a farm as 15 or more acres. (this varies
from county to county)
The Pottawattamie County Department of Planning and Zoning defines a farm as
35 acres. (this also varies from county to county)
USDA defines a farm by US Census standards for statistical purposes only –
individual USDA programs have their own standards:
The Farm Service Agency (of the USDA) defines a farm as 10 acres or more.
The Cass County Auditor defines a farm as ten acres or more of land in
agricultural use.
Boone County defines a farm as an enterprise which is recognized in the
community as a farm rather than a rural residence.
• The average county in Iowa
contains 240,300 acres of
harvested cropland
• In order to produce the 22
typical fruits and vegetables
that Iowans consume 30,000 acres would be
needed STATE-WIDE.
• Current seasonal production
would require just over
12,000 acres.
From: The Economic Impact of Fruit & Vegetable Production is SW Iowa Considering Local & Nearby Metropolitan Markets
by: David Swenson 2009
To Put Food
Production
Into
Perspective
This 12,325 acres represents just
5.1% of the cropland in just one
county!
If this production were
distributed across the entire state
this would require just 123 acres
per county – slightly less than
1/5th of a square mile. Food
production has different
requirements than corn and soy
production – typically counties
have this much or more vacant
land that is suitable to use for
food production.
Possible Economic
Impacts:
Iowans spent $7 Billion on food in 2006
The 2006 Iowa corn crop was worth $4
Billion
Proven agricultural techniques show it is
possible to earn up to $50,000 per acre
using Small Plot Intensive Techniques
(www.spinfarming.com)
Iowans eat 25.9 million pounds of carrots
each year and only 5% of these are grown
in Iowa.
Demand for local, sustainable, humanelyraised, fair-trade food production has
increased – growing about 20% per year
In SW Iowa, farmer’s produce
$792 Million in food
commodities per year, yet spend
$887 Million to raise them.
Losing an average of $95 million
in production costs each year.
Farmers also spend an estimated
$400 million buying inputs
sourced from outside the region.
Residents of SW Iowa* spend
more than $370 Million on food
annually. More than 90% is
imported from other states and
countries.
*Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, & Shelby Counties
Data from Crossroads Resource Center & Ken Meter 2006 & A Vision for “Good Food” for Iowa by Angie Tagtow
Current Health
Trends in Iowa:
Two-thirds of Iowans are overweight
or obese.
Iowa’s direct costs attributed to
obesity are estimated to be more than
$783 million.
Since 1996 there has been more than
a 60% increase in the rate of diabetes
in Iowa.
Researchers have predicted that
because of the dramatic rise in obesity
and related chronic diseases,
especially among young people,
Iowans may experience a decline in life
expectancy by as much as five years in
the next few decades. Our children
may have shorter life spans than their
parents.
Health Benefits of
Community Based Food
Systems:
Diverse foods are needed to meet the
food, nutrition, and health needs of all
Iowa eaters.
Diversifying farm production helps
meet the demand and enables a
producer to spread out their
production and level of risk.
Local food enable Iowans to reconnect
with where their food comes from. We
have a strong cultural and historical
connection to raising our own food.
Our ancestors that settled this state
did so primarily as self-sufficient
farmers and ranchers.
As access to locally-grown
food increases, food
security improves, more
fruits and vegetables are
consumed and diet
related chronic diseases
decline.
Food is a basic human
need and the quality and
quantity of food
available is essential to
our good health.
For More Information
about Community Based
Food System Development
in Southwest Iowa:
Southwest Iowa Food & Farm Initiative
(SWIFFI): Harrison, Shelby, Audubon,
Guthrie, Pottawattamie, Cass, Mills,
Montgomery, Fremont, and Page
Counties
www.swiffi.org
Local Food Coordinator: Bahia Barry
At Golden Hills Resource Conservation
& Development (RC&D) 712-482-3029
Western Iowa Development
Association (WIDA) – Donna Peters
712-343-6368
"I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries as long as they are chiefly
agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America."
--Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1787. Papers 12:442