Writer: Michael Morain
Iowa prides itself on feeding the world. But here at home, the benefits of that legacy aren’t shared equally.
Black Iowans make up 4.4% of the state’s population but own just 0.03% of its farmland, according to the nonprofit Iowa Food System Coalition (IFSC). Meanwhile, less than 6% of food sold in Iowa is grown within the state, which means that even here in “farm country,” many Iowans don’t have access to fresh, local food.
To help, IFSC awarded six Racial Equity Mini Grants to Iowans who are working to make locally produced food more available.
“These grants recognize leaders who are already doing the work to make Iowa’s food system more just and sustainable,” IFSC Executive Director Chris Schwartz said in a prepared statement in February, when the grants were announced. “From revitalizing farmers markets to increasing access to fresh, culturally relevant food, these recipients are creating real solutions in their communities.”
Each of the following Iowans received a $1,000 grant to boost their projects and programs.
DES MOINES: ZAKIYA JENKINS with Grace Fitness works to expand access to fitness and nutrition for people of color and low-income Iowans, with a special focus on diabetes prevention. To that end, Grace Fitness offers exercise classes and online resources. Jenkins also recently published a cookbook with 20 recipes and “budget-friendly meal ideas that won’t compromise taste.”
DES MOINES: JONATHAN LAWRENCE with Eat Greater Des Moines and the Ames-based Iowa Farmers Union fortifies local food supply chains by rescuing unused food from grocery stores and restaurants, stocking community fridges and advocating for policies that make the food system more equitable. He also assists with programs that help immigrant families grow food, find farmer mentors and understand their rights.
IOWA CITY: MARIANNA COTA with Indigenexus draws from her own Indigenous roots (Yaqui/Mexican, Kapampangan/Filipino) to strengthen her community. Her work bridges Indigenous wisdom with modern food-system solutions to help current and emerging generations “remember intuitive intelligence, reclaim energetic sovereignty and revere their ancestral inheritances” through storytelling, artwork and other creative practices.
SHENANDOAH: PIERRE TAYLOR with The Mill is establishing a year-round farmers market to increase access to fresh food, which can be scarce in rural Iowa. The weekly markets take place in an old feed mill that was built in 1945, closed in the 1990s and now has a new purpose. Bonus: It also houses a retro arcade.
WATERLOO: DAQUAN CAMPBELL with We Arose Coop is leading urban agriculture initiatives and the revitalization of the Waterloo Farmers Market. Over the past few years, those initiatives have grown to include community gardens, monthly bike rides, youth training and a “Greens to Go” effort to distribute fresh local produce through pop-up stands, online orders and home delivery.
WATERLOO: SHAFFER RIDGEWAY with Southern Goods advocates for regenerative agriculture that benefits farmers and consumers in the long run. “We grow food that’s good for your body and the environment by working in tune with nature and its soil,” according to Southern Goods’ Facebook page. The team at the locally owned and operated vegetable farm also makes a point to grow culturally relevant food for Black Hawk County’s increasingly diverse population
