Eat Greater Des Moines

EAT GREATER DES MOINES WILL STRENGTHEN IOWAS REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM BY EXPANDING THE ROLE OF VALUE CHAIN COORDINATORS. THIS PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH TWO NEW REGIONAL VALUE CHAIN COORDINATOR POSITIONS ALONGSIDE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THREE EXISTING COORDINATORS AND A CENTRAL COORDINATOR OPERATING ACROSS FIVE STRATEGICALLY SELECTED REGIONS OF IOWA INCLUDING TWO AREAS PREVIOUSLY LACKING ROBUST CONNECTIONS. THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO FACILITATE STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS AMONG FARMERS RANCHERS PROCESSORS AND BUYERS IMPROVING THE COMPETITIVE POSITION OF THESE STAKEHOLDERS AND BOOSTING THE VIABILITY OF LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES. THESE VALUE CHAIN COORDINATORS WILL ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH RETAILERS AND INSTITUTIONAL PURCHASERS GUIDING THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF SOURCING LOCAL FOOD AND CONNECTING THEM WITH FOOD HUBS THEREBY REDUCING PROCUREMENT COSTS AND STREAMLINING LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES. BY FOSTERING CONSISTENT LOCAL PURCHASING THE PROJECT AIMS TO MITIGATE RISK FOR FARMERS INCREASE DEMAND FOR LOCAL FOOD AND ENABLE PRODUCERS AND FOOD BUSINESSES TO CONFIDENTLY SCALE PRODUCTION SUSTAINABLY. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE FARMERS RANCHERS PROCESSORS AND BUYERS THROUGHOUT THESE FIVE REGIONS WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON ENHANCING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL AREAS. TO ACHIEVE THESE OUTCOMES THE PROJECT UTILIZES A NETWORK OF SUBRECIPIENTS SUCH AS THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA TO CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE IMPACT ANALYSES AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISSEMINATION TOOLS AND A PROJECT WEBSITE.