Sustainable Iowa Land Trust

PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL/BUSINESS SUPPORT TO FARMERS TO INCREASE CAPITAL AND MARKET ACCESS.

TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND CONSERVATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTAION ASSISTANCE FOCUSED ON SPECIALTY CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS. AMEND TO CONSOLIDATE LINE ITEMS.

PROVIDE A ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR LANDOWNERS AND PRODUCERS EXPLORIG AGROFORESTRY RESOURCES IN IOWA BY PROVIDING USER-FRIENDLYRESOURCES TO PRODUCERS AND LANDOWNERS.

"SMALL FARM SUMMER: MARKETING IOWA'S LOCAL FARMS TO THEIR NEIGHBORS" IS AN ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE SERIES THAT WILL INVITE THE PUBLIC TO VISIT AND INTERACT WITH TABLE FOOD FARMS IN THEIR RURAL COMMUNITIES. THE PURPOSE IS TO HIGHLIGHT AND INCREASE SALES AT RETAIL FARMS WHILE EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE CURRENT REALITIES THAT SMALL FARMS FACE,INCLUDING HOW LAND USE DETERMINES LOCAL FOOD SECURITY,AND HOW DISTANCE-TO-MARKET AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINE. MANY RURAL IOWANS DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT A TABLE FOOD FARM EXISTS IN THEIR AREA,NO LESS THAT LAND DEBT DETERMINES SO MUCH OF A FARMER'S CHOICES. YET,AS SUCH FARMS AND THEIR MARKETS GROW,SILT IS MAKING LAND AFFORDABLE TO BEGINNING TABLE FOOD FARMERS WHILE PRESERVING IT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. ACROSS THREE SUMMERS OF "SMALL FARM SUMMER" OPEN HOUSE EVENTS,THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WILL VISIT IOWA'S SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS TO ENJOY A FARM TOUR. AS THEY LISTEN TO MUSIC,ENGAGE WITH A COOKING TUTORIAL THAT HIGHLIGHTS FARM PRODUCTS,AND PERUSE FARM PRODUCTSFOR SALE,VISITORS WILL ALSO RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VALUE OF PRESERVING DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER FARMS ON IOWA'S LANDSCAPE. BY DEEPENING THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH IOWA'S SMALL FARMS,MORE IOWANS WILL BE LIKELY TO ADOPT LOCAL FOOD-BUYING HABITS AND BECOME REPEAT CUSTOMERS AT SILT FARMS,CONTRIBUTING TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF FOOD.