Small farms can address food deserts

One of the most helpful resources created recently is the map of the CR Downtown Food Deserts. Imagine expanding this map to cover the entire city, identifying specific neighborhoods in need and targeting solutions for food insecurity. Unfortunately, corporations like Hy-Vee can easily repeat their profit-driven decisions, shifting investments based on profitability.

The City of Cedar Rapids invested $915,000 in Hy-Vee and now the 1st Ave store is closing. What if we redirected that investment to support local, small and emerging farmers? For example, for a fraction of that same investment ($200,000 buys roughly 400 CSA shares) the city could buy out the 60 remaining CSA shares of three local farms (Echollective, Buffalo Ridge, Rainbow Roots) or purchase all of their predicted 2025 shares, giving these growers another year to stabilize and build their new, local farms. A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program is a system where consumers subscribe to receive regular shares of a farm's harvest, providing farmers with upfront capital and consumers with fresh, seasonal produce.

We could take inspiration from Soul Fire Farm’s CSA delivery system which combats food insecurity and systemic inequalities by providing no-cost, door-to-door delivery of fresh, locally-grown produce to underserved communities. This innovative model addresses "food apartheid" by ensuring that low-income families and communities of color have access to nutritious food without financial or logistical barriers. This approach not only supports healthy eating but also fosters food justice and community empowerment. Soul Fire Farms started this program delivering just 20 boxes and have many open-sourced materials available on their website. Models like this one offer real solutions to our food challenges.

While not everyone will want a CSA share, and a year-round grocery store solution is essential, this short-term approach could guarantee nutritious, locally grown food for the next two summers. It might also foster long-term partnerships with local growers, supporting whatever permanent solutions we devise. Imagine a local co-op where our Linn and Johnson County growers deliver produce, sustaining healthy, local farms and feeding our communities. This vision is possible if we invest in it the same way we invested in Hy-Vee."

Tamara Marcus is a climate scientist and founder of Empowered Solutions Collective. She holds a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of New Hampshire