Iowa food banks continue to grapple with unprecedented demand, driven in part by cuts to SNAP benefits statewide, according to a release from Iowa Valley RC&D.
Food pantries across Iowa reported a sharp rise in visitors starting in April 2022, after the expiration of pandemic-era expansions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
In Johnson County, Grow: Johnson County, a five-acre farm, helps ease the strain by growing and distributing produce to 17 local food access sites, including food pantries, early childcare and elder care sites, and hunger-relief organizations.
Through a partnership with Table to Table, a food recovery and redistribution organization, the program provides approximately 40,000 pounds of fresh produce each year. This month, Grow: Johnson County will be harvesting fall crops like potatoes, carrots, melons, and squash.
Grow: Johnson County cultivates over 90 varieties of vegetables, including staples like okra, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, onions, broccoli, and
peppers. The farm operates on the belief that fresh food is a basic right and is dedicated to advancing a more equitable and sustainable food system.
“The primary barrier for clients is food stability,” said Andy Norveisas, shelter operations manager with DVIP. “We work to address our clients’ food needs through partnering with programs like… Grow: Johnson County… the ability to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to residents is a tremendous resource. Most of the food donated to us comes in the form of prepared meals or dry goods, and we most often run out of dairy, meat, and fresh produce first.”
Grow: Johnson County depends on financial contributions, including corporate sponsorships, to keep its farm running, according to the release. Donations cover key expenses like equipment, seeds, fertilizer, labor, and educational initiatives, which allow the program to continue supplying fresh produce to local food access sites.
The farm is part of Iowa Valley RC&D and aims to boost access to healthy food through charitable production and education.
