The campaign’s mission is to ground local food systems in permanent local farms. It’s goal is to surround 10 Iowa cities with 10 permanent table food farms in 10 years.

SILT leaders are in a 3-year, $3 million campaign to fund this 10-year effort. The organization estimates it will be able to

  • Reach 100 landowners willing and able to donate land or conservation easements surrounding 10 cities to
  • Protect 4,000 acres valued at $60 million and
  • Help 400 beginning farmers get or stay on the land that will
  • Sequester 10,000 tons/year of carbon and
  • Feed 800,000 Iowans.

The campaign is beginning with a year-long series of launch parties in 2021 and a pilot project in Fairfield. We have met our first 5 milestones for that project and are ready to launch in two more cities in 2022.

Iowa currently imports 90% of its food.
We are the No. 1 contributor to the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
We generate hog manure equivalent to 134 million people in a state of 3.1 million people.
SILT is the Solution.

SILT was able to protect the Anderson Prairie Farm in Fairfield already, and is on track to protect one more property by year’s end with the help of local residents, SILT leadership and co-workers.

Want to help? Consider a monthly sustaining donation to SILT today.

RELATED: Is there a market for local food in Iowa?

“Transformative.” “Visionary.” Inspirational.”