Plan Overview
Plan Information
| Category | Database entry |
| Plan Region | Iowa |
| Publication Date | 2011 |
| Entry reviewed by original author | No |
| PDF attachment | View Full Report |
| Plan Title | Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan |
| Webpage | Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Website (Farm, Food, and Enterprise Development) |
| Authors | Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, mandated and sponsored by the Iowa legislature |
| Author Type | University |
| Region Type | State |
| Funding Sources | Iowa State Legislature |
| Funders | Iowa State Legislature |
| Total Project Budget | Unspecified |
| Plan Goals | According to the legislative mandate, to offer “policy and funding recommendations for supporting and expanding local food systems and for assessing and overcoming obstacles necessary to increase locally grown food production” (5). This plan is part of the larger Local Food and Farm Initiative (LFFI), the goals of which are to: “1. Promote the expansion of the production of local foods, including the production, processing, distribution and marketing of Iowa products. 2. Increase consumer and institutional spending on Iowa-produced and marketed foods.3. Increase the profitability of farmers and businesses engaged in enterprises related to producing, processing, distributing and marketing local food.4. Increase the number of jobs in this state’s farm and business economies associated with producing, processing, distributing and marketing local food.” (Via https://www.extension.iastate.edu/ffed/local-food-and-farm-initiative-lffi-reports/) |
| Intended Audience | Government (Iowa state legislature) |
| Plan Recommendation Structure | Recommendations across three type-based sections (1. for state appropriations; 2. to create a Local Foodand Farm Advisory Board and a LocalFood and Farm Program Fund; and 3. for operation ofthe Plan). Each recommendation includes a description, justification, and funding strategies, and is categorized as either “short-term” or “long-term.” |
| Catalyst for Plan | The Iowa legislature passed an amendment in 2010 mandating that the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University develop a Local Food and Farm Plan for the state of Iowa (9). |
| Creation Process | Outreach and input from 1,000+ individuals via working sessions, workshops, listening sessions, one-on-one visits, and surveys. Using this input, an initial draft was written. This draft was distributed to representatives from 21 relevant state agencies, institutions, and organizations for review. Feedback was provided via one-on-one meetings and integrated into the final draft of the plan. The complete methodology is laid out in detail on pages 40-44 of the plan itself. |
| Theoretical Framework | Unspecified |
| Theoretical Framework: Literature | Unspecified |
| Development Timeline | 1 year |
| Implementation Strategy | The Local Food and Farm Program, under the Local Food and Farm Initiative (LFFI), part of ISU, is responsible for oversight and coordination of the plan’s recommendations. At the outset of the program (2012), The Local Food and Farm Program State Coordinator, along with a Local Food and Farm Program Team of six food system section leaders, was responsible for this work. (Detailed in the 2012 preliminary report: https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/de20617d-07e0-4cd7-a5be-aa527ddb93e9/content) |
| Implementation Timeline | Unspecified |
| Evaluation Strategy | Recommendations 3.20-3.26 of the plan focus on assessing progress via data collection and infrastructure. Each year, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at ISU reports to the legislature on the Local Food and Farm Program. Annual reports, up to 2020, are available at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/ffed/local-food-and-farm-initiative-lffi-reports/ |
| Current Plan Status | Update in progress |
| Government Adoption Status | Unknown |
| Government Adoption Status (Notes) | N/A |
| Supplemental Documents (to be attached within the AirTable) | View Supplemental Documents |