Josh Dansdill, Business Development Projects Director, has been appointed by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig to serve on the Local Food and Farm Program Advisory Council. The Council exists to support and advise statewide efforts to increase the availability of locally grown, raised, and produced foods.
“The supply chain disruptions and persistent inflation over the last two years have made consumers consider new avenues for the products and food they depend upon every day. Consumers are seeking out local farmers and local foods as a great way to shorten that supply chain while also positively impacting the local economy,” said Secretary Naig. “The Local Food and Farm Advisory Council will help guide the strategy and efforts to increase the availability of local foods across the state. I am thrilled that we have so many passionate Iowans stepping up to serve.”
Dansdill was appointed to the Council as a representative engaged in local or regional community food organizations. Much of his work at Northeast Iowa RC&D has centered on increasing capacity for local food production and distribution across Northeast Iowa, including the development and publishing of the Iowa Farmers Market Manager Toolkit, facilitating the Northeast Iowa Farmers Market Advisory Council, creating the Northeast Iowa Local Food Expansion Plan, and serving on the statewide board for the Iowa Farmers Market Association. He has secured millions of dollars in funding from the USDA to support local foods programs, including revitalization of Northeast Iowa orchards by establishing a mobile juice production facility and launching a regional Farmers Market Manager capacity-building program.