Local Foods

Industry experts say demand for locally raised meat is high, but processing is often a bottleneck. State grants from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship aim to widen the middle of the supply chain.

The USDA said it will invest up to $18 million into a program that makes connections between schools and local farmers after canceling the program in March. The announcement was made alongside the release of the Make America Healthy Again report.

Some programs that help low-income Iowans access healthy foods are at risk after federal SNAP-Ed funding was eliminated in the major tax and spending bill signed into law by President Donald Trump last month.

A look at the 50 year legacy of Seed Savers, and revisiting a 2015 conversation with Sean Sherman, The Sioux Chef.

Author Beth Howard draws similarities between baking a pie and making a documentary film. Then, we hear from the founder of the Middle of NOWhere Rural Art & Music Festival.

Hundreds of Iowa farmers, schools and food banks planned on federal dollars this year to support local food purchases. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut both programs in March. Iowans across the supply chain are looking for ways to fill in the gaps.

Cobble Hill chef Andy Schumacher is a Best Chef Midwest semifinalist. Simon's, an Italian restaurant in Des Moines, is named for Outstanding Hospitality.

Income from agritourism in Iowa has more than doubled in recent years. Farmers are getting more creative to draw in the crowds.

Two dozen gardeners in Waterloo are blending gardening techniques to feed their community. Despite the obstacles they have faced, their harvest leaves plenty to share.

Members of the Food Systems Coalition discuss a new plan to promote sustainable local food production in Iowa, and Olympian and former Hawkeye basketball player Tomi Taiwo joins the show.