Iowa State University
( Ames IA 50012 )
Contact Name:
Darrin Vander Plas
Contact Title:
Farm to ISU Coordinator
Telephone:
(515) 294-2892
E-Mail:
farm2isu@iastate.edu
Program Web Site:
www.dining.iastate.edu/farm
Who was most responsible for initiating your farm-to-college program?

Faculty/Staff

Dining/food services personnel

Student(s)

Cooperative extension agent(s)

Student(s)

Dining/food services personnel

Cooperative extension agent(s)

Dining/food services personnel

Cooperative extension agent(s)

Student(s)

Faculty/Staff

Dining/food services personnel
In what year did the program begin?

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007

2007
Are students actively involved in maintaining the program?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes
How are the students involved in the program?

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Promotional/educational outreach

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Researching availability of local products

Researching availability of local products

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Researching availability of local products

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Researching availability of local products

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Researching availability of local products

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee
In what ways, if any, would you like students to be involved in the program?

Menu/event planning

Food preparation

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Culinary classes to use food products

Menu/event planning

Food preparation

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Culinary classes to use food products

Menu/event planning

Food preparation

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Culinary classes to use food products
What role, if any, have cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals played in the farm-to-college program?

Facilitator for certain program components

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Resource/contact person

Facilitator for certain program components

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Resource/contact person

Facilitator for certain program components

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Resource/contact person

Facilitator for certain program components

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Resource/contact person

Facilitator for certain program components

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Resource/contact person
What role, if any, would be useful for cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals to play in the farm-to-college program?

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Resource/contact person

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Resource/contact person
Who runs/is primarily responsible for the farm-to-college program? (please choose primary person/group in charge)

Student

Student

Student
Where do the majority of your locally purchased farm products come from?

50-200 miles

50-200 miles

50-200 miles
What are the primary local farm products you purchase? (please list top 3-5 items)

Dairy Meat Produce Honey

Dairy Meat Produce Honey

Dairy Meat Produce Honey
Are any of these local food products organically grown?

yes

yes

yes
Approximately how much, in dollars, does dining/food services spend annually on local farm products?

500000

500000

500000
What is the approximate total number of individual farmers you purchase products from during an entire calendar year?

16-20 farmers

16-20 farmers

16-20 farmers
Who/where are local products purchased from?

Individual farmer(s)

Campus/student farm or garden

Individual farmer(s)

Campus/student farm or garden

Individual farmer(s)

Campus/student farm or garden

Individual farmer(s)

Campus/student farm or garden
Are local food products used in...

Regular menus

Special events

Convenience store items

Catering

Regular menus

Special events

Convenience store items

Catering

Regular menus

Special events

Convenience store items

Catering
Was external funding or other resources (grants, equipment, etc.) used to...

Start the program

Maintain the program

Start the program

Maintain the program

Start the program

Maintain the program
If you have received external funding or other resources for the program, what is/was your source?

The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.

The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.

The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.
Have any of the following individuals or groups been directly involved in development, coordination, education or promotion related to the farm-to-college program?

Farmer association(s)

Campus sustainability center(s)

Student environmental organization(s)

Community/local/state environmental organization(s)

Other community/local/state organization(s)

University department(s)

Faculty member(s)

Farmer association(s)

Campus sustainability center(s)

Student environmental organization(s)

Community/local/state environmental organization(s)

Other community/local/state organization(s)

University department(s)

Faculty member(s)

Farmer association(s)

Campus sustainability center(s)

Student environmental organization(s)

Community/local/state environmental organization(s)

Other community/local/state organization(s)

University department(s)

Faculty member(s)
Is there a local farmer's organization (i.e., a cooperative) involved in your program that was in place prior to the program's start?

yes

yes

no

yes

no
Have you used any of the following to promote the program or enhance its educational value?

Press releases

Information in dining locations about the program

Class research

Farm tours

Special events (eg., local foods dinner)

Web site

Press releases

Information in dining locations about the program

Class research

Farm tours

Special events (eg., local foods dinner)

Web site

Press releases

Information in dining locations about the program

Class research

Farm tours

Special events (eg., local foods dinner)

Web site
What, if any, other environmental initiatives on your campus are connected with the farm-to-college program?

Recycling program

Composting program

College/student farm

Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects

Fair trade projects

Recycling program

Composting program

College/student farm

Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects

Fair trade projects

Recycling program

Composting program

College/student farm

Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects

Fair trade projects
Are there any bidding requirements for purchasing local food?

yes

yes

yes
Do local products cost more on average?

yes

yes

yes
If yes, how do you manage the higher price?

Pass cost directly on to consumer

Reduce costs elsewhere to make up the difference

Pass cost directly on to consumer

Reduce costs elsewhere to make up the difference

Pass cost directly on to consumer

Reduce costs elsewhere to make up the difference
What do you see as the most significant barriers to starting or sustaining farm-to-college programs?

Finding growers/local product supply

Seasonal availability of products

Finding growers/local product supply

Seasonal availability of products

Finding growers/local product supply

Seasonal availability of products
What do you see as the most significant benefits from farm-to-college programs?

Supporting local farmers, community and/or economy

Higher quality food

Supporting local farmers, community and/or economy

Higher quality food

Supporting local farmers, community and/or economy

Higher quality food
Of the following policy issues, please choose up to two, if any, that you believe would provide the most significant support for farm-to-college programs:

Grants/subsidies to help farmers organize cooperatives

Grants/subsidies to help farmers build season extenders

Grants/subsidies to help farmers organize cooperatives

Grants/subsidies to help farmers build season extenders

Grants/subsidies to help farmers organize cooperatives

Grants/subsidies to help farmers build season extenders
What strategies, if any, do you recommend for making farm-to-college programs work?



Is dining/food services:

Self-operated

Self-operated

Self-operated
Total number of individual meals served daily in locations operated by dining/food services:

600054001000500

600054001000500

600054001000500

9200
Does food services use a (please choose most appropriate answer):

Meal (board) plan

Meal (board) plan

Meal (board) plan
What is dining/food services' approximate annual budget for food?

6

6

6000000

6000000