The Linn County Board of Supervisors appointed 12 members to the newly created Linn County Food Systems Council. The new members are:
- Dora Bopp, HACAP Food Reservoir, Master Gardner
- Tina DuBois, North Liberty Community Pantry & HACAP Food Reservoir Advisory Council
- Bill Gardam, Horizons / Meals on Wheels
- Susan Gericke, Farmer
- Sonia Kendrick, Feed Iowa First (Founder)
- Matt Mayer, Matthew 25 Ministry Hub / Urban Farm Project
- Rebecca Mumaw, Cedar Rapids Citizens for the Legalization of Urban Chickens (CR-CLUC) & member of BUDS – Community Garden Network
- Rachael Rockwell, Linn County Extension and Outreach for Iowa State University
- Jill Roeder, Linn County Public Health Department
- Judy Stoffel, United Way of East Central Iowa
- Joe Stutler, Farmer
- Bob Untiedt, HACAP Food Reservoir
The mission of the Food Systems Council is, “Bringing together agriculture, food industry, educators, economic development, conservation and hunger representatives onto one council that can guide and advise the County on the necessary policies and programs that will make Linn County’s food system economically, environmentally and socially resistant.”
The Council will annually hold two publicized public forums for the community to bring county food and agriculture issues and opportunities to the community’s attention for action and provide an annual report of findings and accomplishments to the Linn County Board of Supervisors and Iowa Corridor Food and Agriculture Coalition advisory board.
Membership on the Council is voluntary and non-compensated.
In January 2012, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution creating the Johnson County Food Policy Council. A Linn County Food Systems Council will be important to achieve regional collaboration with Johnson County to capture the Iowa Corridor’s economic impact of a regionally based food system.
For more information, call (319) 892-5130.
