Setting the Table for All Iowans
We have an opportunity to improve our health, our land, and our communities in Iowa.
A Plan for Iowa’s Food System
Setting the Table for All Iowans is Iowa’s ten-year food system development plan. Developed by the Iowa Food System Coalition (IFSC) with input from farm and food system partners across the state, the plan provides a roadmap for building a thriving, sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system in Iowa.
The plan was developed with more than 40 farm and food system partners representing farmers, government, universities, public health organizations, food banks and pantries, public schools, and other organizations working across Iowa’s food system. It identifies shared priorities, strategies, and measures of progress while helping partners understand how their work connects across the broader food system.
Why Iowa Needs a Stronger Local Food System
Iowa is an agricultural leader, but much of what Iowa grows is produced for commodity markets rather than for direct consumption by Iowans. Strengthening local food systems in Iowa creates additional opportunities for farmers and food businesses while improving access to nutritious food and supporting resilient communities. It can also complement Iowa’s broader agricultural economy by building markets for food grown, raised, processed, and consumed closer to home.
Building a stronger Iowa food system means addressing the connections between farm viability, food access, infrastructure, public health, land access, local food markets, and environmental stewardship. It means ensuring Iowans have access to nutritious food while supporting farmers and food businesses and protecting the soil and water resources Iowa agriculture depends on.
What Investment in Local Food Can Accomplish
Recent local food purchasing programs demonstrate what targeted investment in Iowa’s food system can accomplish. The USDA Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchasing Assistance programs connected Iowa farmers and food businesses with schools and food access sites across much of the state, helping institutions purchase nutritious, locally grown food while creating markets for Iowa producers.
Combined, these programs benefited farmers, schools, and food access sites across 70% of the state and generated an estimated $1.94 in local economic activity for every $1 invested. These programs demonstrate what is possible when Iowa builds reliable markets for locally grown food while paying farmers fair prices.
A Shared Vision for Iowa’s Food System
IFSC envisions an Iowa food system that cultivates health, justice, and sustainability for people, communities, and the environment. Through our statewide network of partners, the Coalition convenes, analyzes, and advances strategies for strengthening Iowa’s food system. Partners across Iowa bring specialized expertise and lead implementation in areas including farm and food business development, food access, infrastructure, environmental stewardship, public health, education, and policy.
Setting the Table for All Iowans is intended to be a living plan that guides collaboration, helps partners understand how their work connects across Iowa’s food system, and provides a shared framework for measuring progress over time.
Explore the Iowa Food System Plan
Read the full plan to learn more about the conditions shaping Iowa’s food system, the strategies identified through statewide input, and the actions recommended within each of the nine priority areas. You can also explore individual priority chapters to find the issues, strategies, partners, and opportunities most relevant to your work or community.
This plan is for partners, policymakers, farmers, food businesses, organizations, and Iowans across the state.
Join the Iowa Food System Coalition as an individual or organization, connect with a priority area, and help strengthen Iowa’s food system through your own community, organization, or area of expertise.
The Priority Chapters
FAQ
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The Iowa Food System Coalition (IFSC) is a diverse partnership of over 40 organizations and 600 individuals committed to creating a thriving, sustainable, and equitable food system in Iowa. We represent every step of food production, processing, and distribution, working together to advance collective goals.
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"Setting the Table for All Iowans" is a comprehensive plan developed by the IFSC to guide the work of creating a resilient and sustainable food system in Iowa over the next decade. The plan outlines strategies to increase local food consumption, support rural communities, create economic opportunities, and improve the health of Iowans.
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The plan aims to:
Increase Local Food Consumption: Encouraging Iowans to consume more locally produced food.
Build Resilient Communities: Strengthening rural economies and fostering community health.
Create Economic Opportunities: Supporting diverse agricultural practices and creating ag-related jobs.
Improve Health: Ensuring access to nutritious food for all Iowans.
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The IFSC is guided by:
Social and racial equity
Transformative relationships
Community empowerment
Environmental care
Celebration of local agriculture
Food for health
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Despite Iowa's rich agricultural capacity, only about 6% of food sold in the state is produced locally. Programs like Choose Iowa are working to increase this percentage by supporting farmers and food businesses in diversifying their offerings and expanding markets.
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Stay Informed: Sign up for regular email updates about ongoing initiatives.
Join the Coalition: Fill out an IFSC Partner Commitment Form to contribute as an individual or organization.
Participate in Priority Teams: Engage with specific focus areas that interest you by contacting Team Leaders listed above.
Executive Summary
The Iowa Food System Plan organizes and prioritizes the many parts of our food system that are out of balance, while helping our partners see their work in relation to each other and the whole. It is a tool to help us speak with a unified voice to decision makers, the community and to each other. The plan calls for priorities and policies to be informed and guided by contributions from those most impacted by the food system, and it holds us accountable to all of these objectives, giving us metrics for determining our success. The plan takes a giant leap forward in finding and implementing solutions.