Informal Business Minutes - Free Download
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MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
NOVEMBER 12, 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development Food System Planner Jason Grimm:
Report and Update, Including Potential Business/Community Alliance to Support the
Development of Local Food Businesses in the Area ................................................................. 1
Solon High School Student Clayton Olson: Veterans Employment Research Project.................... 3
Reports and Inquiries from Executive Assistant Andy Johnson ...................................................... 3
Reports and Inquiries from the Board of Supervisors ...................................................................... 4
Chairperson Rettig called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the
Johnson County Administration Building at 6:58 p.m. Members present were: John
Etheredge, Pat Harney, Terrence Neuzil, Janelle Rettig, and Rod Sullivan.
Click here for audio file of this meeting.
IOWA VALLEY RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT FOOD
SYSTEM PLANNER JASON GRIMM: REPORT AND UPDATE, INCLUDING
POTENTIAL BUSINESS/COMMUNITY ALLIANCE TO SUPPORT THE
DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES IN THE AREA
Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development (RCD) Food System Planner
Jason Grimm presented a report on an economic development block grant the Board
awarded to the RCD earlier this year. He hired Prairie Ventures, LLC Owner K. Jesse
Singerman to help study and understand the local food industry within the Coralville
region.
Singerman presented a PowerPoint which examined supply of local foods and
agricultural products and the demand for expansion of this production. Slides discussing
supply included information about the decreasing total number of farms but increasing
number of small farms (50 acres or fewer), and Johnson County’s diverse market. The
growth in the market value of agricultural products in Johnson County has grown 81%
compared to the state average of 66% whereas the average sales per farm in Johnson
County are almost 50% smaller than the state average. The number one crop in Johnson
County is corn. Johnson County ranks 48th of the 99 Iowa counties in corn production,
5th in vegetable, melon, and potato production, and 18th in production of milk and other
dairy products.
Singerman said data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates there are 24
establishments in Johnson County fitting the North American Industry Classification
System (NAICS) code which accounted for total sales of just over $250 million in 2007.
Singerman said the 2012 estimate of local food sales was roughly $3.3 million.
Singerman concluded the market demand for local food products is very high in Johnson
source: johnson-county.com
