News Release for Feb 27 Local Food Connections Workshop
Local Food Discussion Set for Feb 27
Taking the mystery out of the rules and regulations that govern buying and selling locally grown foods is the goal of a workshop featuring Scott Platt with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Platt, a field inspector with the department and spokesperson for the local food perspective will inform and clarify the regulations for both buyers and sellers desiring to support the demand for locally grown food.
The workshop will be held in two locations on Monday, February 27.
- At 1:30 pm Platt will be at the Union County Extension Office in Creston.
- From 6:30-9:00 pm, A repeat of the session will be held in Chariton at Carpenter Hall.
The workshop will cover practices and procedures that growers need to be able to address with potential buyers. Southern Iowa Regional Food System Coordinator, Sharon Wasteney, encourages institutional buyers who want to be better informed about buying food from local producers to attend as well. At both sites there will also be discussion of progress on community kitchen facilities. At the Chariton workshop there will be an update on discussions regarding the need for a community kitchen serving that area, and continued plans to cooperate with the Iowa Food Cooperative.
The program is being sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Southern Iowa Resource Conservation and Development and is also appropriate for continuing education credit of Master Gardeners. There is no fee for the program but registration is requested by February 24 to insure adequate materials are available for attendees.
- Questions and reservations can be directed to Sharon Wasteney via email at sharonwasteney@gmail.com or by calling the Union County Extension office at 641-782-8426 for the Creston meeting.
- To register for the Chariton meeting, call Joe Sellers at 641-203-1270, or e-mail sellers@iastate.edu.