NE IA Farmer’s Market Advisory Council met in December.  This council is hosting a Farmer's Market Summit on Thursday, February 9, 2017 at NICC-Calmar.  We will be posting more details on our facebook page.   

If you are involved with your local farmer’s market as a marketing manager, vendor, or attendee please call our office.  We would love to hear from you! 

Here is the website to get the details on all 24 farmers markets in NE IA:

http://northeastiowafarmersmarkets.org/  (this website is not complete)
Here is the facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Northeast-Iowa-Farmers-Markets-558669817600080/

Career Workshop is Coming
 

ACED is working with NICC-Waukon and Waukon High School to host a Career Workshop for high school juniors and seniors.  The date is set for Friday, February 10, 2017 starting at 9 a.m. at Waukon High School.  Approximately 12 local business people will present information regarding current job openings – pay, benefits, education requirements, work experience needed, on the job training, a typical day at work, special projects, etc.  Postville, Kee and MFL-Mar Mac juniors and seniors will also be invited.
 

2016 Marketing Follow-Up Survey
 

For those who love to look at tourism numbers, this report is for you.  Please click the link below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByxAth40e5ZLSDJfaFVxVmhSY0YzbWc0RXRJX0JWZ0VRZGc0/view?usp=sharing

Annie's Project Provides Agriculture Business Education to Farm Women
 

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a networking program that empowers women in agriculture to become better business partners and owners.
 
Annie’s Project is a six-week course designed to help farm women develop their management and decision-making skills. Farm women participating in Annie's Project courses become better business partners and owners by learning to manage and organize critical information for their own farms, while establishing networks with other farm women and agriculture business professionals.
 
According to ISU Extension and Outreach Farm Specialist, Melissa O’Rourke, Annie’s Project covers five areas of agricultural risk management: financial, human resources, legal, marketing and production.
 
O’Rourke states, “Our goal is to provide a program that is of great interest and value. Each session includes presentations, discussions, hands-on activities and computer skills training. In addition, guest speakers share their personal experiences and knowledge to help women become better business partners and owners.”
 
The course will be offered at two northeast Iowa locations. Online registration is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/womeninag or at your local County Extension office. 
 
Allamakee County Extension office, on Mondays from 6 p.m – 9 p.m. beginning January 30 and continuing February 6, 13, 20, 27; and March 6.  A light supper will be provided at 5:30 p.m.  The cost is $75.00.  Registration deadline is January 23.  For more information, contact Julie Christensen, Allamakee County, 563-568-6345,juliechr@iastate.edu
 
According to a 2012 survey conducted by ISU Extension and Outreach, 47 percent of Iowa’s farmland is owned by women. Annie’s Project supports these women by providing an agricultural business education program that empowers farm women who want to be more knowledgeable about their agricultural enterprises.
 

Wellmark Foundation
Awarded $10,000 Grants
 

“All of these communities and organizations are committed to improving the health and well-being of their citizens,” said Stephanie Perry, The Wellmark Foundation manager. “These grants fund projects that will have a community-wide impact now and for future generations.”  The 30 awarded projects, out of 79 submissions, were chosen because they focused on providing longer-term opportunities to make community members more active or improve access to healthy foods. Four community projects from UERPC’s service area were recipients of this year’s grant awards, including West Union’s pedestrian project, which UERPC’s Safe Routes to School program has been heavily involved with:
$10,000    Pedestrian Ramp Improvements, West Union
$10,000    Harpers Ferry Family Splash Zones, Harpers Ferry
$10,000    Monona City Park Trailhead, Monona
$10,000    Supporting and Sheltering the Farmers Market, Riceville

The Wellmark Foundation recently awarded 30 Community Kickstarter grants totaling $277,654 for initiatives intending to make Iowa communities more active or improve access to healthy foods.  

To learn more about these projects or The Wellmark Foundation, visit https://www.wellmark.com/foundation/.

This information is from the Allamakee County Community Foundation's newsletter.