3rd Annual Iowa Local Food Day Is October 14th

The ISU Extension & Outreach Office has announced that the  3rd Annual Iowa Local Food Day is coming up on October 14th.  Participating K-12 school districts, colleges and childcare centers and homes will serve menus featuring local ingredients. To participate, sites must serve at least two local items for breakfast or lunch.The Iowa Dept. Of Agriculture And Land Stewardship initiated Iowa Local Food Day in 2018 to bring together all sectors of farm to school to celebrate Iowa-grown food.Last year, 290 schools and early care sites participated, serving 107,900 meals sourced from local Iowa producers. Every participant said they are interested in increasing local purchases in the future.

Goals

Iowa Local Food Day:

1. Provides a strong support network.
2. Aids food service directors in local food procurement.
3. Engages farmers in growing and selling to schools.
4. Helps farmers ramp up school sales by working on a smaller scale with Summer Food Service Programs (SFSP).
5. Allows farm to school activities to expand beyond fruits and vegetables.
6. Raises awareness of farm to school across the state.

Visit the website, www.iowalocalfoodday.org, to find out more. You’ll also find sample menus, learn more about food safety considerations, and get marketing materials to help promote the event in your community.