In Creating Change in the Food System, the authors present a case study of an integrated effort to build long-term local and regional food commerce in Iowa using a community of practice approach.
This report, authored by Rich Pirog of Michigan State University's Center for Regional Food Systems and Corry Bregendahl of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, details the growth and achievements of the Regional Food Systems Working Group in Iowa over the past eight years. The policy, funding, and capacity gains facilitated by that group's collaborative work are a valuable model of the power of networks and relationship-building that the new Center for Regional Food Systems will foster and utilize to engage the residents of Michigan, the United States, and the world in applied research and outreach to develop regionally-integrated, sustainable food systems.
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This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.