Meeting Public Comments

Renata Sack []

The produce should not only be fresh and locally grown, but it should be mostly toxin free. The Environmental Working Group has a list telling us the most sprayed vegetables and fruit. All possible efforts should be made to grow veg and fruit without toxins and downright poisons.Especially for schools with physically developing children, this is of serious concern, asking for our caring and action.

Jan Libbey [One Step at a Time Gardens]

I have been involved with Iowa's local food and farm system for the past 25 years as a farmer, a local food coordinator, and an active member of North Iowa Fresh, LLC, one of the state's 8 food hubs.HSB 95 represents an excellent and exciting step for Iowa.It represents a more serious commitment to Iowa's local food and farming system and is a timely follow up to the successful and impactful Local Produce & Protein Program (LPPP) of 2020.Over the past 25 years, Iowans have made important investments in our local food and farm system. The response to the 2020 LPPP demonstrated how support for three key food system sectors farmers, distributors/food hub, and demand/schools could affect change. These sectors demonstrated a readiness that Iowa should actively seek to expand.This is such an opportune time we need creative rural economic development and there's not many folks more creative than local food farmers look how they responded to suddent market changes in 2020 as a prime example. We need to invest in the health and wellness of Iowans whole, nutrient dense foods for farm to school and early care programs across the state represent a critical commitment that is so consistent with Iowa Healthiest State initiative. We need economic development that builds community our local food and farm system has achieved the success it has today because of very dedicated work of many farmers, customers, community partners, and organization leaders who have done the grounded, grit work of building relationships and shaping strategic plans. We are prime to leverage all of the capacity established to date in order to move us along toward our greater capacity.Passing HSB 95 establishes an important piece of the state infrastructure to help us achieve these goals.And finally, this originates from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig sees the opportunity. I participated in a webinar this past Monday on which Deputy Secretary Julie Kenney was a panelist. It was so exciting to see Iowa represented so strongly among Dept. of Ag colleagues and others from across the nation.As members of the Agriculture Subcommittee, your support of this bill can make a significant contribution to the work that has already been achieved. And I know you can count on continued dedication of supportive local food and farm partners across the state moving forward.Thank you for considering my comments.Jan Libbey, One Step at a Time Gardens, Kanawha, IA

Tom Chapman [Iowa Catholic Conference]

The Iowa Catholic Conference is registered as undecided on HSB 95. We represent the Catholic schools in Iowa.Specifically, we support Part A of Division III of the bill, creating a local food produce program for schools. The purpose of the program is to assist schools in purchasing fresh produce from Iowa farmers. The state would provide one dollar in matching funds for every three dollars spent by the school.This is different than the current foodtoschool program, which does not provide funding to schools to support local food purchases.