Food hubs work with food service directors, agencies and businesses to choose local meat, dairy, eggs and produce while in season, facilitating the delivery, storage, food safety and availability of local foods in partnership with regional growers.
After three years of growth, Field to Family is playing a pivotal role in the growth of the supply and demand of local foods in Iowa through strong partnerships with local farmers, schools, other key state, public institutions. New USDA funding streams that are meant to empower community food systems are directed towards food hubs, including Field to Family, with funds provided to increase local for school lunch, reduce food insecurity and support systematically disadvantaged farmers. Through strong relationships with local farmers, food hubs offer an alternative to distributors that rely on cheap labor, transnational distribution, food waste, high soil inputs and environmental issues that negatively impact our water, soil and air.
The following new funding streams will grow capacity, enhance local food markets and deepen the impact of food hubs in Iowa for years to come:
IOWA LOCAL FOOD PURCHASING ASSISTANCE (LFPA)
The USDA has made over 1.7 million dollars available for food hubs and Iowa’s six food banks to purchase local foods for distribution to Iowans in under-resourced communities through a new project called the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program (LFPA). The goals of the program are to support efforts to reduce food insecurity, increase local food consumption and to help build and expand economic opportunity for local and socially disadvantaged producers.
Field to Family is one of 14 entities with a contract with the Iowa Department of Land Stewardship (IDALS) to utilize these funds from September 2022 to May of 2024. Field to Family will purchase food from growers who have registered for the program. Farmers can Register Here. Field to Family will then distribute it to community distribution agencies who have signed up for the program. Community partners interested in distributing local foods Register Here.
Food grown in Iowa or in the immediate surrounding counties is eligible for this program. This includes produce, grains, legumes, dairy, meat, mushrooms, eggs, honey, and maple syrup. Value added products containing at least 51% locally produced raw product are also eligible.
Potential Community Partners may include entities such as: Food Pantries, Meal sites, Religious Organizations, Residential facilities, Emergency shelters, Adult day centers, Early childcare sites, Summer feeding sites, Senior programs, Mobile food pantries, Backpack programs, Farmers Markets, Hospitals and clinics, YMCA or other recreation centers, and more.
“Field to Family has been preparing for this type of opportunity since we launched our food hub in 2018,” said Michelle Kenyon, Field to Family’s Executive Director. “We have built strong relationships with regional producers, school districts and other food service institutions and have facilitated the increase in supply and demand for local foods in our region. As a food hub, we are always looking for new institutions to deliver fresh and local foods to, as well as new farmer partners in order to expand the supply available.”
As Field to Family works to expand their impact to create a stronger community food system, the organization has recognized the importance of working with farmers who the USDA considers “socially disadvantaged.” These include BIPOC farmers – black, immigrant, people of color- as well as veterans, women, LGBT and beginning farmers. Out of the 60 + market vendors Field to Family is currently partnering with 34 who are considered socially disadvantaged, which is not typical even for food hubs at the national level.
“Providing access to new markets for more producers and helping more Americans experiencing food insecurity is going to take new partnerships, new innovations, and new ways of thinking – and the best solutions can often be local,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This program provides tribes, states, and U.S. territories the ability to work in new and creative ways with their local partners, establishing connections between their producers and underserved communities. The food purchases made through LFPA will provide consistent access to locally and regionally sourced food, helping provide economic stability for farmers, producers and families, and improve health outcomes through nutrition and increased food security.”
LOCAL FOODS FOR SCHOOLS (LFS)
The USDA has made funds available to states to facilitate local foods for schools! Iowa school districts will soon be able to sign up for funds to purchase local foods. School districts will be matched with a food hub in their region. Field to Family currently works with 9 school districts, onboarding 3+ new partners with plans for more as we lead up to Iowa Local Food Day on September 28 (fourth Wednesday of the month) and for Farm to School month in October. Field to Family continues to be a primary resource for Food Service Directors when it comes to seasonal menu planning, incorporating local for lunch and adding taste testing and opportunities for students to connect with Iowa farmers.
HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING INITIATIVE
America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative provides resources to healthy food retail and to overcome the higher costs and initial barriers to serving areas with inequitable access. The program ultimately aims to provide additional capacity building and financing resources to build a more equitable food system that supports the health and economic vibrancy of all Americans. Field to Family was the only Iowa recipient for this program and it will support the organizations work to: increase demand for local, healthy foods; build infrastructure and capacity for increasing access to underestimated communities and increasing the amount of socially disadvantaged growers growing food in the region.
The investment will run from January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023.