Iowa State's Crop Cart Brings Food Processing Resources to Local Entrepreneurs

We hike Pulpit Rock for the views — and for the stories waiting at the top. Support Decorah News today. DECORAH — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISU) Winneshiek County is inviting community organizations and local food businesses to participate in a statewide initiative that advances small-scale value-added fruit and vegetable processing. Since 2017, a team at ISU Extension and Outreach has worked to address the lack of processing and aggregation infrastructure for fresh fruits and vegetables in Iowa. The ISU Extension and Outreach Crop Cart was designed to support small business growth, create new value-added products, and improve local food systems through local and regional sourcing. Programming includes: Food safety training Value-added product development Nutrition and health education Recipe development Taste-testing Intended audiences include: Aspiring food entrepreneurs Local farmers and producers Community organizations Event organizers The Crop Cart includes equipment for fresh fruit and vegetable processing. To learn more and see a full list of included materials, visit the ISU Extension website or contact your county partner. Interested applicants can submit Crop Cart rental requests to the Winneshiek County office by email at alliemc@iastate.edu or by calling 563-382-2949. For more information about the Crop Cart project, contact Lisa Bates, assistant director of ISU Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development, by email at lmbates@iastate.edu or by calling 525-357-8185. Be the first to know! Sign up for the free newsletter and unlock exclusive updates, breaking news, and tips from around the community.