Gina Lloyd, an Iowan with extensive experience in creating successful business partnerships between farmers and institutional food buyers, has been hired by Iowa Farmers Union Education Foundation to coordinate a two-year project funded by the McKnight Foundation.
The Farm-to-Institution Project will connect Iowa farmers with businesses that want to increase their purchasing of fresh, healthy, locally grown foods such as meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables, nuts and honey. Services will include an all-Iowa meals brokering service, referrals to resources such as business planning programs and food safety training, and development of a groundbreaking local and organics food program at Iowa State University Dining Services.
“The local foods movement is growing by leaps and bounds,” says IFUEF education director Leigh Adcock. “Iowa Farmers Union is in a unique position with this project to add to the good work already being done in the state by such organizations as Iowa Network for Community Agriculture, the Leopold Center, Practical Farmers of Iowa and the State Food Policy Project.”
Lloyd recently took early retirement after 7 years as director of the Guthrie County Extension office. In that role, she helped create the Growing Food and Profit program, which not only increased the amount of locally grown products sold to institutions such as hospitals, schools, restaurants and farmers markets, but helped expand sales by adding value to agricultural products. The program has been replicated successfully in six other counties.
Lloyd also worked for Region XII Council of Governments, and owned and operated a floral and greenhouse business in Des Moines for 10 years. She is a board member of Iowa Network for Community Agriculture and the Wallace Foundation.
“This is an exciting opportunity to help form partnerships with our local agriculturalists and institutional food buyers,” said Lloyd. “I will work at promoting the advantages of locally grown foods to people who want healthier and fresher foods while building an economically sound business for the farmer and the institutions.”Cooperative Education
IFUEF has an ongoing commitment to teach Iowa youth and adults about the value of cooperatives and the way they work. With the generous support of the CHS Cooperative Education Foundation, IFUEF conducted the following educational programs in 2004-05.
Youth Day Camps
Four day camps were conducted around Iowa in the summer of 2004 for youth aged 7-12. In an entertaining way, the children learned about the cooperatives in their communities, and about all the products they use which come from coops. They played cooperative games and made a snack in a cooperative manner. All participants said they enjoyed the camps and would come again if it were offered. Six camps are planned for 2005, in the communities of Laurens, Hedrick, Richland, Iowa Falls, and Greenfield, and as part of the Practical Farmers of Iowa 2005 Family Camp near Boone.
College Conference on Cooperatives
CHS Foundation funds assisted IFUEF in bringing six Iowa State University students to the 2005 College Conference on Cooperatives, held each year in Minneapolis. Students attended sessions on coop history and philosophy and current coop practices; toured area coops; and attended a dinner theater event in the evening. They were able to make valuable connections with other students and professionals in the cooperative field.
High School Tours of Co-ops
Ini April 2005, more than 70 FFA students from four central Iowa high schools took part in a daylong tour and luncheon designed to show them the cooperatives operating in their community and teach them about coop principles and philosophy. The tour rated very well with participants, and the cooperatives hosting them benefited from the opportunity to reach out to future members and leaders from their communities.
Other Recent Projects
Increasing Markets for Sustainably Produced Pork
Iowa Farmers Union Education Foundation received USDA funding to conduct a feasibility study and establish a marketing co-op for sustainably produced pork. The feasibility study showed there is still opportunity in the marketplace this type of differentiated product. Due to lack of producer interest, the co-op was not formed. The Pork Niche Market Working Group (PNMWG) is now working to help hog farmers develop niche markets and overcome the challenges of alternative production systems. For more information on PNMWG efforts, please call the office at (800) 775-6227.
Feasibility Study for Marketing Locally Grown Produce and Meat to Institutions in Northwest Iowa, Northeast Nebraska, and Southeast South Dakota
Local Foods Project
IFUEF received funding to explore the possibilities and challenges to marketing locally grown products to institutions such as schools, colleges, hospitals, nursing homes, and casinos. This project also investigated the interest on the part of producers to grow the items and quantities desired by such institutions. IFUEF has received the results of this feasibility study. If you would like to receive the summary of this feasibility study, please contact the office at (800) 775-5227
PACT
Producers and Consumers Together (PACT) was one of the main methods of dispersing information gathered by the Citizen Task Force. Several panel discussions and meetings were held around Iowa during 2000 and 2001 to discuss many issues affecting family farmers, including the increasingly concentrated livestock industry.
Citizen Task Force
The CooperativeCitizen Task Force on the Impact of Livestock Concentration in Iowa gathered information on several aspects of livestock concentration including environmental impacts, health effects and economic concerns. The final report on their findings is available free of charge by contacting the office at (800) 775-5227.