This is a summary of an 18-page report: 2013 Economic Impacts of Iowa's Regional Food Systems Working Group. The report looks at the statewide impact of the local foods sector on Iowa's economy, based on data collected in 2012 and 2013 by local food coordinators who are part of RFSWG.

Leopold Center support over three years has helped Ajay Nair, assistant professor in Horticulture, set up the ISU Sustainable Vegetable Production Lab, a research and education program to help small producers in Iowa.

Farmers have a number of tools to use in managing agricultural risk. This summary examines the relationship between one of those tools—crop insurance—and extreme weather. The paper focuses on how non-operating landowners (NOLs) might consider the relationship between crop insurance and conservation practices on their farms.

This case study of Roger and Joyce Jensen's hazelnut operation was prepared as part of a 2013 research grant to evaluate the potential return on investment for growing perennial crops in Iowa.

In July, 2011, the legislature passed Senate File 509, creating the Iowa Local Food & Farm Initiative (LFFI). The LFFI was created to strengthen local food economies that promote self-sufficiency and job growth in the agricultural and allied sectors. The legislature allocated $150,000 to LFFI in 2012 and 2013 ($75,000 each year), of which 30 to 35 percent was applied to a competitive grants program in 2012 and 2013.

The LFFI has funded seven local foods projects focused on the areas of business development; beginning, minority, and transitioning farmers; and development of farm to institution sales. This impact brief shows how modest investments can leverage additional funds, create economic opportunity, benefit youth, increase awareness of local foods, and prompt new partnerships and projects.

These are stories of nine local food champions who support development of local food systems in Iowa. These profiles were produced for an evaluation of the Regional Food Systems Working Group (RFSWG).

This is a working document of the Regional Food Systems Working Group that outlines some of the best practices for developing a local food system in the areas of coalition building, fundraising, promotion of local food, events and celebrations, producer training and workshops, sales to institutions, farm-to-school and fulfilling the facilitation/connector role. It was compiled from information submitted by regional coordinators of the RFSWG.

This is an evaluation of seven one-year food system projects funded by the Local Food & Farm Initiative (LFFI). The initiative is funded by an annual appropriation from the Iowa Legislature and administered from the Leopold Center. For ever dollar of LFFI investment in these projects, another $17.92 was leveraged by project leaders and their partners.

This 18-page report offers a two-year look at the statewide impact of the local foods sector on Iowa's economy, based on an evaluation of the efforts of the Regional Food Systems Working Group (RFSWG). The evaluation measured four indicators of economic change: local food sales by farmers, local food purchases by grocery stores, restaurants and institutions, job creation and funds leveraged to support development of regional food systems. Local food coordinators collected data in 2012 and 2013.

This publication looks at what's been learned from research on sustainable land tenure arrangements through a special initiative with the Drake Agricultural Law Center, and other opportunities created by the Leopold Center's major investment in this work.