Local Foods Resources

In early 2014, the Iowa Food Systems Council developed a list of resources and hosted an informational event about food processing and community kitchens in Southwest Iowa. Here are some of the resources they provided:

• Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals – Food business licensing info for the state.
• Iowa Food Protection Task Force –  a group of individuals and organizations interested in food safety and defense.  The Task Force members include federal, state, and local government agencies; commodity groups; food related trade associations; food producers; academia; and others.
• List of Licensed Kitchens – This is a list of licensed kitchens in Southwest Iowa, excluding Pottawattamie County. Some of these may be willing to work with you but you will need to contact them first to ask.
• Rental Agreement Considerations and Samples – If you are interested in processing at an existing licensed kitchen, here are some things to discuss with the kitchen owner/manager. It also lists some sample agreements and pricing examples.
• DIA Food Processing Licensing Requirements – Outlines the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals licensing requirements for food processing.
• Preparing to Talk to Department of Inspection and Appeals- Things to know before you start your food processing.
• Find A Local Inspector – For questions about local inspections and licensing, contact your local public health agency. This link provides contact information for all Iowa counties.
• Iowa City Kitchen Connect – Based in Eastern Iowa, this website offers numerous resources that are relevant to Southwest Iowa, including information about regulations, licensing, labeling, pricing, food safety, and more.
• Value Added Producer Grants – USDA has grants to help producers with processing and/or marketing of bio-based, value-added products.