A webinar, brought to you by the Iowa Food Access and Health Work Group and the Regional Food Systems Working Group of Iowa, will address the intersection between healthy food access and community-based food systems while highlighting innovative initiatives across Iowa and the U.S.

Producers, consumers, business owners and anyone interested in developing Iowa's local food system are invited to register for an upcoming conference, "Road Map for Resilience: Empowering Iowa's Local Food Economy." The conference, sponsored jointly by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will take place on March 19-20, 2013 at the ISU Scheman Building

Here in Iowa, we live in one of the top food producers in the nation. Yet, some Iowans still have trouble accessing healthy foods. Iowa Public Radio Host Ben Kieffer talks with experts across the Iowa about people who live in areas with low access to healthy food…areas often referred to as "food deserts". We find out why people in these areas have trouble accessing healthy food, and what efforts are being done to help these residents.

The Convergence Partnership supports 13 local foundations to advance innovative work in building healthier communities across the U.S.

FoodCorps, a national organization that addresses childhood obesity and food insecurity in underserved communities, opens applications for its third annual class of service members. The selected emerging leaders will dedicate one year of full-time public service in school food systems – expanding hands-on nutrition education programs, building and tending school gardens, and bringing high quality local foods into school cafeterias.

The City of Cresco has been selected as one of 10 communities from across the state to participate in the Iowan's Fit for Life program sponsored by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). As part of the program, the community will participate in a workshop to identify existing options for nutrition and physical activity in our homes, businesses, schools and neighborhoods.

Eight Iowa FFA chapters have been awarded $1,500 "Planting A Seed" grants by the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP) to conduct activities that increase agricultural awareness in their communities and interest among youth in food production and life sciences.

A trip to the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo in Grand Rapids in early December was a learning experience for participants. Windridge Implements in Decorah, Elkader and Cresco, along with the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative and the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Coalition sponsored the bus trip.

A new, locally roasted coffee joins the menu this week at Sunnyside Café in Luther College's Center for the Arts. K'uun single origin coffee, roasted by Bean Masters Inc. of Calmar, replaces Starbucks coffee at Sunnyside. Fernando and Barbara Vaquero own and operate Bean Masters, roasting coffee beans to-order in small batches. The company received the largest small-business grant awarded by Winneshiek County Development in 2011 and now provides custom-roasted coffee to individuals and businesses throughout northeast Iowa.

U.S. regulators are relaxing school meal rules aimed at reining in calories and portion sizes after some students, parents and lawmakers complained that new stricter policies left many children hungry. Under the adjustment, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would suspend daily and weekly maximum amounts for grains and meat or meat alternatives. That means school districts this year can serve larger portions of those items without penalty.