Resilient Food Systems
The Food Systems team at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach partnered with local organizations in the following place-based communities to study the impact of climactic events and COVID-19. The locations include counties, regions, and territories across the United States. The intent of this research is to understand the level of resilience each community has within their food system. Each report details findings related to community values, interest in local and regional foods and purchasing practices, impacts from COVID and climactic events, and identified priorities for increasing resilience.
A Community-Based Approach to Designing a Resilient Community Food System Webinar
This session highlights a community-based practice for designing a resilient community food system through a mixed-methods facilitated process. Participants will learn tools for participant-based decision utilizing interviews, foresight focus groups, table top exercises, and action planning to create a strategic action plan for future disasters. The session will highlight learning from eight place-based communities and offer insight into facilitation tools that can help start and navigate conversations for planning and preparedness.
Community Project Reports:
Kittitas County, Washington
Resilient Food Systems Research Brief: Impacts from smoke and fire
Final Report: Kittitas County, Impact from smoke and fire
Northeast Kingdom, Vermont
Resilient Food Systems Research Brief: Impact from 2022-2024 Flooding and Severe Weather
Final Report: Northeast Kingdom, Impact from 2022-2024 Flooding and Severe Weather
Greenville County, South Carolina
Final Report: Greenville County, LiveWell Greenville, 2025
Bastrop County, Texas
Final Report: Impact from Covid-19 and climactic events
Bastrop County, Texas Research Brief
Final Report: Texas Center for Local Food, 2024
Benton and Washington Counties, Arkansas
Final Report: Impact from Covid-19 and climactic events
Benton and Washington Counties, Arkansas Research Brief
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Final Report: Impact from Covid-19 and climactic events
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska Research Brief
Marshall County, Iowa
Final Report: Impact from Covid-19 and climactic events
Marshall County, Iowa Research Brief
U.S. Virgin Islands
Final Report: Impact from Covid-19 and climactic events
U.S. Virgin Islands Research Brief
Final Report: Virgin Islands Food Systems Resilience, 2024
Food as Medicine:
Food as medicine is an area of focus that recognizes and addresses the significant personal and community impacts of cultivation and harvesting of food, food access, culture, diet, nutrition, well-being, and health outcomes. This annotated bibliography was created to assess and understand the unique contributions of research within the food as medicine spectrum more fully.
An annotated bibliography reviewing western settler medicine, Indigenous practices, and local and regional food systems:
Food as Medicine Annotated Bibliography
Additional Resources:
The Local and Regional Food Systems Resilience Playbook A Primer for Food Systems Leaders on Local and Regional Food Systems Strengths and Vulnerabilities in Times of Disruption
Local and Regional Food Systems Response to COVID: Recovery and Resilience Local Food Incentive Programs Necessary and Highly Effective for Iowa Farm to School and Early Care
Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) is a collaborative multi-state effort by Cooperative Extension Services across the country to improve the delivery of services to citizens affected by disasters. EDEN's mission is to reduce the impact of disasters through research-based education.
