Iowa schools spend millions feeding kids — in effect, they’re the largest restaurants in the state. But here’s the catch: most of those tax dollars don’t stay in Iowa. When food is trucked in from across the country and contracts go only to national corporations, local farms and rural communities lose out.
In this replay of our very first episode, we dig into the real economics of school lunch. You’ll hear how the now-defunded Local Food for Schools program changed what ended up on kids’ trays, why school districts’ purchasing power shapes what farmers grow, and what’s at stake in bills like SF 525.
Featured Voices:
Jessy Sadler – Food Service Director, Urbandale Schools
Julie Udelhofen – Former Food Service Director, Clear Lake Schools
Chelsea Krist – Farm to School and Early Care Specialist on Iowa State Extension's Farm, Food and Enterprise Development Team
Teresa Wiemerslage – Local Food Systems Specialist, ISU Extension
Chris Schwartz – Executive Director, Iowa Food Systems Coalition
Resources
Recently the USDA announced the resurrection of the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants, causing some confusion between it and the Local Food for Schools (LFS) program. These programs are not related. The Farm to School Grants, which are highly competitive, only allow for up to 10% procurement from local farms per project.
After terminating several farm-to-school programs, the USDA resurrects one [Sept 15, 2025] | Iowa Public Radio
In February, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins called for “every State, territory, and tribal leader in the nation to participate in our ‘Laboratories of Innovation’ initiative…”
Latest NewsMAHA Promised Healthier Kids. But School Lunches May Deliver Less. [Sept 8, 2025] | Capital and Main
SF 525 threatens to rewrite school nutrition standards to favor commodity crops like corn, pork, and dairy—prioritizing corporate profits over kids’ health and local food access. It could also jeopardize federal funding for school meals. Find resources and more information on how to help on Episode 1 show notes.
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🎧 Produced by the Iowa Food System Coalition. Edited by Mallory DeVries. Thank you for a great first season of At the Iowa Farm Table. Please consider taking our listener survey.
