FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 30, 2001 CONTACT: Neil Hamilton, (515) 271-2065, neil.hamilton@drake.edu Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119, lisa.lacher@drake.edu DRAKE ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH USDA TO SUPPORT STATE FOOD POLICY COUNCILS The Drake University Agricultural Law Center has entered a cooperative agreement with the U. S. Department of Agriculture to support the work of state food policy councils in four states. Professor Neil Hamilton, director of the center, will coordinate the project in cooperation with officials from the Risk Management Agency (RMA) of USDA. Under the agreement, USDA will provide $200,000 to help support the operation of food policy councils in Iowa, Connecticut, North Carolina and Utah. According to Professor Hamilton, "This is a wonderful opportunity for Iowa, for USDA and for Drake -- to identify how state food policy councils can help improve the operation of our food system. We are excited to be able to work with officials in these states to examine food policy issues." Iowa Gov. Thomas Vilsack created the 21-member Iowa Food Policy Council in April 2000 and appointed professor Hamilton to chair the effort. The goal of the council is examine the operation of Iowa's food system and help identify how state and local governments can create opportunities for farmers and consumers. In addition to the public members -- which include farmers, retailers, distributors, hunger advocates and food processors -- the Iowa Food Policy Council has representatives from major state agencies. One goal of the council is to expand the market for Iowa-grown food. The council played a key role in helping Iowa receive a recent $560,000 grant from USDA to provide low-income seniors with coupons to purchase Iowa-grown produce at farmers' markets across the state. Under the new project, USDA funds will be used to hire staff to support existing councils in Iowa and Connecticut and to help the departments of agriculture in North Carolina and Utah create state food policy councils. William Buchanan, director of the Office of Civil Rights and Community Outreach for the RMA, said, "We look forward to working with Drake staff and officials from these four states. The results of their studies will help USDA to identify better ways to help farmers and communities develop risk-management strategies for food production." Iowa Gov. Vilsack was pleased to learn of the USDA action. "The council was created to help advise me and others in state government on what we need to be doing to create a healthier economic future for Iowa's farmers and consumers," Vilsack said. "This USDA grant will help Drake provide the council with the resources necessary to more fully examine our food system and suggest steps we can take to improve it." Drake President David Maxwell said, "We are very proud of professor Hamilton and the Agricultural Law Center for leading the effort to examine the ways in which state and local policies can improve the future for both farmers and consumers. This project recognizes Drake's leadership in this field, and we are pleased that the USDA has asked us to study the potential for state food policy councils to improve access to high quality, locally produced food." Sen. Tom Harkin, ranking member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, worked with the USDA and urged the department to approve the agreement with Drake University. "The Iowa Food Policy Council has the potential to help Iowa create new markets and opportunities for Iowa's farm families," Harkin said. "I am excited USDA has asked Drake's Agricultural Law Center and professor Hamilton to examine how state food policy councils can help the nation improve food access and assist the creation of new family farms."