Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Next Food Policy Council Meeting

The Johnson County Food Policy Council usually meets on the third Mondays of the month from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. The next meeting is Monday, November 17, 2025 at the Johnson County Administration Building Room 110, 913 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240. Meetings agendas are posted a week in advance at  http://bit.ly/jocomeeting.

Save the Date for the FPC 11th Annual Forum!

The Johnson County Food Policy Council is hosting its 11th annual forum on Saturday, December 13th from 9:00-11:30 AM at Dream City. The aim of this annual event is to increase community awareness of and engagement with local food system challenges and opportunities. This year’s forum will focus on gathering community input on the updated Food Policy Council Strategic Plan from individuals across the food system. 

• Saturday, December 13th, 2025 | 9:00-11:30 AM (doors open at 8:30 AM)

• Dream City | 611 Southgate Ave, Iowa City, IA 52240

• Free breakfast and coffee 

• Registration link coming soon! 

This event is free and open to the public. Please help us spread the word!

Johnson County strives to host inclusive, accessible meetings and events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you are a person who requires a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, contact [email protected] by Thursday, December 11th, at 9:00 AM. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.

Sign Up for Field Notes, a Monthly Newsletter from the Johnson County Local Food and Farm Team

Stay up-to-date on our local food system with Field Notes, the official newsletter of the Local Food and Farm Team. In this monthly newsletter, you will find updates about local events, JC Food Policy Council, Community Food and Farm Grant, Historic Poor Farm, jobs/grant opportunities, and more! Sign up here. 

Land & Heart: FilmScene Event Highlights

On August 28th, we joined FilmScene and Thriving Communities for a community collaboration event celebrating the power of local food.

The Local Food Panel featured Corbin Scholz, Anna Zeffreys (Thriving Communities), Marcela Hurtado and Miriam Alarcón Avila (E5M), and was moderated by Ilsa DeWald (Johnson County Local Food & Farm Manager). After the program, attendees enjoyed samples from Community Food and Farm (CFFG) grant recipients Andale Andale, Elida's Bakery, Kindred Coffee, Snacky Mini Mart, and Yotopia. 

You can check out our playlist of CFFG recipient videos here. 

Food Policy Council 10th Annual Forum: Recording now available! 

The Johnson County Food Policy Council hosted their tenth annual public forum, From Policy to Plate: Unpacking the LFPA in Johnson County on Saturday, February 1, 2025. Event recording can be found on our YouTube page here. 

Johnson County's Local Food System 

Johnson County is a unique region in Iowa where the rural landscape meets our urban centers in many dynamic ways. We are a brilliant mix of talent, experience, and culture. The Johnson County Board of Supervisors and staff are committed to building a thriving local food system -- where the environment flourishes, businesses succeed, and everyone has access to diverse and culturally relevant food.

What is the food system?

The food system is defined as the chain of activities connecting food production, processing, distribution, marketing, transportation, access, consumption and waste management.

Local foods in Johnson County

In the fall of 2015, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors created a new position - the Local Foods and Planning Specialist - as part of the Planning, Development and Sustainability department. In 2018, the Local Foods Coordinator position was moved to the Board of Supervisors Office. The Local Foods Coordinator works closely with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, county planners and community partners to increase local food production and access in Johnson County.

By creating this position, Johnson County is acknowledging the importance local foods have in our county, and that by developing a community-based food system, we are supporting all sectors of our environment - from public health to conservation..

Why local foods and the County?

The food system has significant, daily impacts on the residents of Johnson County in terms of the environment, the local economy, employment, the transportation system, public health and waste. Everyone eats, therefore everyone is engaged in the food system.

In Johnson County, we see the need to build the community resources of our food system - and we are working to create a robust system that promotes worker's rights and builds resilience in the natural environment. The advancement of our local food system will enhance rural and urban economic development, increase access to nutritious food and build equity in our community.