© 2026 Iowa Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Local Foods

Rachel Cramer
/
Iowa Public Radio
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins outlined plans to support cattle producers and streamline how the USDA collects and uses data at the Farm Progress Show.
  • There are many Indigenous people in this country working on food sovereignty. The best known member of this movement is Chef Sean Sherman, founder and CEO of The Sioux Chef, which specializes in pre-colonization cuisine. Host Charity Nebbe talks with Sherman about his latest co-authored book, 'Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America,' and he will be speaking at the inaugural Iowa Culinary Conference on June 22 in Coralville. Also, the 50th Loess Hills Prairie Seminar takes place May 29-31, hosted by Monona County Conservation. This free event started in 1977 as a modest, back to nature event for local educators, and has now expanded to include dozens of activities for conservationists, families and beyond.
  • There are a number of nonprofits operating in Iowa that are focused on giving beginning farmers access to land, education and equipment. On this episode, we hear about four of these organizations, and how they've been impacted by the sudden termination of a grant program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  • Curtis Sittenfeld's short story collection, 'Show Don't Tell,' captures both the mess and the gifts of aging. Then, Shalika Kindurangala, the owner of a Piece & Freedom Bakery, a Ukrainian bakery in Ames, is creating community amid war at home. (Portions of this episode were originally produced March. 6, 2025 and Jan. 29, 2025)