2026 Iowa Local Food Summit
Held as part of the annual Iowa Farmers Union Convention, the 2026 Iowa Local Food Summit is a place to connect efforts that are strengthening Iowa’s local food system.
Iowa Food System Voter Engagement Webinar
Join the Iowa Food System Coalition October 13 at noon for a free, one-hour, nonpartisan Food System Voter Engagement Webinar. We’ll share highlights from IFSC’s 2026 Candidate Conversations, explore tools for researching candidates, help you make a plan to vote, and talk about ways to encourage civic participation in your own community, including writing letters to the editor.
Food Systems Book Talk
Join Iowa food system leaders in Des Moines for networking and a book talk with Nessa Richman exploring food policy councils, civic engagement, and community well-being.
Iowa Food & Farm Day on the Hill 2026
Join the Iowa Food System Coalition for our annual Day on the Hill, where farmers, advocates, and community members come together to engage with policymakers and advocate for Iowa’s food system priorities.
Healing from the Ground Up: Iowa Summit
Join us for the first annual summit bringing together leaders from healthcare, agriculture, and food systems to advance systemic change.
Organized by the Iowa Food System Coalition in collaboration with the UNI Center for Energy & Environmental Education and Basil’s Harvest.
Advocacy Training Session 3: Navigating Our Day at the Capitol
A beginner-friendly workshop series for people who care about local food, farming, and community health in Iowa. Learn how decisions are made and how to take part.
Advocacy Training Session 2: Using Your Voice for Food Systems Change
A beginner-friendly workshop series for people who care about local food, farming, and community health in Iowa. Learn how decisions are made and how to take part.
Advocacy Training Session 1: Iowa Government 101 – How a Bill Becomes Law
A beginner-friendly workshop series for people who care about local food, farming, and community health in Iowa. Learn how decisions are made and how to take part.
RFSWG / IFSC Statewide Updates
Join us for our next quarterly meeting on Thursday, November 13th. These meetings are invaluable to our statewide efforts. Registration Required.
Town Hall: Farm & Food Business Development (Virtual)
Over the past decade, Iowa has seen the loss of many small and residence farms, even as midsize and corporate operations expanded. Programs such as the Regional Food System Infrastructure (RFSI) grant, Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants, and federal initiatives like LFPA and LFS have provided critical support for equipment, infrastructure, and market development. These investments have allowed more Iowa-grown food to reach schools, grocery stores, and communities, but large gaps remain.
Town Hall: Local Procurement Programs (Virtual)
Join us on Thursday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m. for a virtual town hall on Iowa’s local food and nutrition programs. Hear from farmers, school nutrition leaders, food pantries, food banks, SNAP-Ed educators, and rural grocers about the impact of programs such as Local Food for Schools (LFS), Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA), Choose Iowa, Double Up Food Bucks, SNAP, and Healthy Kids Iowa.
RFSWG / IFSC Statewide Updates
Join us for our next quarterly meeting on Thursday, September 11th. These meetings are invaluable to our statewide efforts. Registration Required.
2025 Iowa Hunger Summit
The Iowa Hunger Summit is a free, public event held annually, bringing together hundreds of food security leaders from across our state. Participants include representatives from community organizations, businesses, government agencies, social services, faith-based communities, academic institutions and other groups that lead or participate in projects to eradicate hunger.
Farm & Food Celebration 2025
This bi-annual event, hosted by ISU Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Coalition, features farm tours, local eats, and celebrates Iowa's food systems. The Farm & Food Celebration will be hosted every other year, alternating with the Community Food Systems + Farm to School and Early Care Conference. The purpose of this bi-annual event is to provide space for engagement and networking in the off-year.
Iowa Kids Garden Day
Hosted by the Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Coalition, this event serves as an annual opportunity to celebrate Farm to School & Early Care across Iowa- and in the garden!
RFSWG / IFSC Statewide Updates
Join us for our next quarterly meeting on Thursday, May 8th. These meetings are invaluable to our statewide efforts. Registration Required.
Healthiest State Conference
Designed for HR professionals, wellness coordinators, and organizational leaders, the conference offers educational opportunities to advance workplace and community well-being.
Iowa Eats Festival
Iowa Eats Food & Drink Festival is a one-day celebration of Iowa food and drink! It is the first and only event in Eastern Iowa to feature all Iowa food and drink products, chefs, artisans and agriculture-related products. Proceeds from the event benefit Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area.
2025 Public Health Conference of Iowa
The 2025 Public Health Conference of Iowa will be held on April 1-2, 2025 at the Airport Holiday Inn, Des Moines.
Workshop: Writing for Iowa’s Food System
Join us for this interactive workshop to craft impactful letters to the editor (LTEs) and social media posts that advocate for a stronger, more equitable food system in Iowa. Participants will leave with a polished LTE ready to send, as well as strategies to amplify their message and inspire action.
RFSWG / IFSC Statewide Updates
Join us on Zoom for our RFSWG/IFSC Quarterly Statewide Meeting, where we’ll begin each session with a special presentation highlighting critical aspects of our food systems work. Afterward, we’ll dive into regular updates from priority teams across the state—covering infrastructure, policy, environmental stewardship, business development, and more. Together, we’ll explore ways to create resilient, equitable, and sustainable food systems that benefit all.
Who Should Attend:
Farmers, growers, and food producers
Advocates and community organizers
Policymakers and government officials
Business owners and entrepreneurs in the food sector
Anyone passionate about building a resilient food system in Iowa
These meetings are invaluable to our statewide efforts. Registration Required.
From Policy to Plate: Unpacking the LFPA in Johnson County
The 10th annual Johnson County Food Policy Council public forum is rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at the Iowa Conservatory, 123 N Linn St, Iowa City. The forum will be from 9 to 11 a.m., with doors opening to the public at 8:30 a.m.
This year’s forum, “From Policy to Plate: Unpacking the LFPA in Johnson County,” explores how state-level investments in local food can lead to a more equitable, resilient, and community-based food system. The forum will begin with an explanation of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) at the federal and state levels, followed by a discussion from a panel of guest speakers on how the LFPA has impacted their work in Johnson County. There will also be opportunities for attendees to engage in break-out discussions with panelists.
The goal of the forum is to build support for the LFPA and motivate advocacy around local, state, and federal food policy. Additionally, the council hopes to gather input on community needs for advocacy training and updated information on food policy.
The event is free and open to the public. Kindred Coffee will provide breakfast and coffee to attendees. Registration information and additional details are available on the Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/share/12JuzAGsXYG/ and Johnson County’s website at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/localfoods.
The Johnson County Food Policy Council was created in 2012 by the Board of Supervisors to provide guidance on food and agriculture issues. The council is charged with providing annual recommendations on how to improve our local food system, holding public forums to obtain feedback on food system issues, and educating County residents on the value of supporting a strong community-based food system.
Day on the Hill 2025
Join the Iowa Food System Coalition for our annual Day on the Hill, where farmers, advocates, and community members come together to engage with policymakers and advocate for Iowa’s food system priorities. This is your opportunity to share stories, showcase the importance of local food systems, and directly influence decisions that affect Iowa’s communities.
Advocacy Training Part 2
FOOD FARMS DESERVE a bigger slice of the pie!
On Zoom – January 9 and 16 | 6:00–7:00 PM
Registration Required
Interested in making a difference at the Iowa State House? Join us for two virtual Advocacy Training Sessions leading up to Farm and Food Day on the Hill on January 23, 2025. Registration gets you into both sessions, and we recommend attending both to gain the full benefit of this series.
These one-hour trainings will help you build a community of advocacy, amplify your voice, and coordinate efforts to give food farmers a bigger slice of the pie in Iowa’s agricultural future.
Stipends of $25 per session are available to compensate your time upon request—contact Tommy Hexter, Iowa Farmers Union Rural Organizer & Educator, at thexter@iowafarmersunion.org.
Session Details
Session 1: Introduction to Citizen Advocacy and 2025 Food System Priorities
January 9, 2025 | 6:00–7:00 PM
Learn about the power of citizen advocacy and dive into the 2025 priorities for transforming Iowa’s food systems.Session 2: How to Speak to a Legislator and What to Expect at the Capitol
January 16, 2025 | 6:00–7:00 PM
Gain tools and tips for effectively engaging with legislators and navigating the Iowa State Capitol.
Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) Conference
Mark your calendars for the popular annual PFI Conference!
Conference highlights include:
A Saturday keynote by Eric Lee-Mäder, the co-founder and principal at Northwest Meadowscapes. Eric will highlight success stories of conservation farming that sometimes blur the lines between nature and agriculture, and which provide us with clues to what a multi-century vision of Iowa farming could look like.
Session topics that span the agricultural spectrum, including conventional and organic field crops, soil health, pasture-based livestock, crop-livestock systems, fruit and vegetable production, precision conservation, on-farm habitat, landowner resources, farmland access, pest and weed management, farm business basics and more.
A full track of Spanish-language sessions.
An evening of storytelling by PFI farmers sharing skillfully narrated true stories.
Presentation of PFI’s 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award.
Three optional pre-conference short courses: “Charting the Steps of Farm Succession”; “Strawberry Production in Iowa”; and “Extending the Rotation: Finding an Effective Third Crop.” All courses begin Thursday, Jan. 9 in the afternoon and end the morning of Friday, Jan. 10 before the conference starts.
Advocacy Training Part 1
FOOD FARMS DESERVE a bigger slice of the pie!
On Zoom – January 9 and 16 | 6:00–7:00 PM
Registration Required
Interested in making a difference at the Iowa State House? Join us for two virtual Advocacy Training Sessions leading up to Farm and Food Day on the Hill on January 23, 2025. Registration gets you into both sessions, and we recommend attending both to gain the full benefit of this series.
These one-hour trainings will help you build a community of advocacy, amplify your voice, and coordinate efforts to give food farmers a bigger slice of the pie in Iowa’s agricultural future.
Stipends of $25 per session are available to compensate your time upon request—contact Tommy Hexter, Iowa Farmers Union Rural Organizer & Educator, at thexter@iowafarmersunion.org.
Session Details
Session 1: Introduction to Citizen Advocacy and 2025 Food System Priorities
January 9, 2025 | 6:00–7:00 PM
Learn about the power of citizen advocacy and dive into the 2025 priorities for transforming Iowa’s food systems.Session 2: How to Speak to a Legislator and What to Expect at the Capitol
January 16, 2025 | 6:00–7:00 PM
Gain tools and tips for effectively engaging with legislators and navigating the Iowa State Capitol.
Midwest Meat Summit
Happening just ahead of Practical Farmers of Iowa's Annual Conference, the inaugural Midwest Meat Summit brings together every part of the meat supply chain to learn, network and build community.
IFSC Book Talk & Holiday Party Fundraiser with Austin Frerick
Join the Iowa Food System Coalition for a Book Talk and Holiday Fundraiser featuring Austin Frerick, author of Barons, Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry on Dec 8th, 2024.
Local Food Policy Summit
Please join us in Ames on December 6th from 12pm-3:30pm for an entirely local food meal, followed by conversations and presentations about the 2025 Legislative Session and our goals for continuing to grow Iowa's food system.
Iowa Farmers of Color Conference
The Iowa Farmers of Color will host the 2024 Iowa Farmers of Color Conference on Nov. 16 in Des Moines, Iowa. This gathering is an invaluable opportunity for farmers of color from all enterprises throughout the Midwest. The day will include opportunities to network and connect, enterprise and business planning sessions, chances to learn about programs from service providers and a keynote address from Denise Greer Jameson.
Fall Harvest Gathering for Women in Sustainable Agriculture
WFAN is a community for food growers and land stewards who have been historically excluded from access to education, infrastructure, and support networks in agriculture. Together, we can share the connections and encouragement needed to be effective practitioners and supporters of sustainable agriculture.