We Are the “Big Spinach Lobby”

A shortened version of this piece, from IFSC’s Executive Director, Tommy Hexter, was published in the The Des Moines Register. You can read it here.

Iowa’s ongoing conversation about its second-highest cancer rate in the nation and water quality recently took an unexpected turn. Leafy greens have entered the debate.

You’ve likely heard about “Spinachgate,” a Statehouse exchange that quickly spilled onto social media. As lawmakers debated the connection between water quality and rising cancer rates, attention shifted to nitrates in foods like spinach.

In response, State Rep. Austin Baeth posted a viral video joking about a “Big Spinach Lobby,” as if fruits and vegetables carried the same weight as Iowa’s dominant agricultural interests.

If there were actually a big spinach lobby in Iowa, that would be us.

The Iowa Food System Coalition, is a statewide network of more than 50 partner organizations working to build a stronger local and regional food system. We focus on ensuring that more of what Iowans eat is grown by farmers in our state. In a place known as the breadbasket of the United States, we shouldn’t have to rely on food shipped in from the coasts.

We believe, plainly, that more Iowa-grown fruits and vegetables in our communities, especially in our schools, is a good thing. That’s right, we want your kids to eat Iowa-grown spinach.

When it comes to cancer, a new report from the Iowa Environmental Council and The Harkin Institute underscores what many Iowans are already experiencing: Iowa is an outlier, and environmental risk factors are part of that story. At the same time, our state leads the nation in pesticide use and continues to face significant challenges with nitrate contamination in drinking water.

Call us bold, but we believe growing more food in Iowa can be part of the solution. More food production can mean more land in pasture and diversified crops, which typically require lower rates of nitrogen and pesticide application. It also means more Iowans have access to fresh, local food, rather than relying on ultra-processed options that are often the default in many rural communities.

The same approach can strengthen rural economies. Through IFSC’s statewide network of partners, we work to expand local food markets, giving farmers opportunities beyond traditional commodity systems, where profit margins are often tight. According to the National Farmers Union, farmers selling into commodity markets may receive as little as 14 cents of every food dollar, while those selling directly into local markets can retain significantly more, keeping more value in rural communities.

Today, more than 1,400 farms and food businesses in Iowa are already selling into local and regional markets, but they represent just a fraction of the opportunity in a state with more than 80,000 farms.

Our work to grow local markets is starting to show results. In recent years, IFSC and partners have helped advance the Choose Iowa program from concept to implementation, creating new opportunities for farmers and food businesses to grow and connect with local markets. These investments help keep more of Iowa’s $12.6 billion in annual food spending circulating within our own communities.

When federal programs like the Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools programs were cut, it created real gaps across Iowa’s food system. Farmers lost reliable markets. Schools and food banks lost access to fresh, local food.

Rather than letting that progress disappear, IFSC and partners worked alongside state leaders to build a state-level solution. In 2024, the Legislature funded the Choose Iowa Purchasing Pilot Program, including $200,000 for food banks and $100,000 for schools to purchase food from Iowa farmers. This year, we are encouraged to see these programs proposed as permanent line items, with $200,000 for the Choose Iowa Food Bank Purchasing Program and $200,000 for the Choose Iowa School Purchasing Program.

In a year when budgets are tight, this is a meaningful investment in connecting Iowa farmers with schools and making it possible for more students to access locally grown food.

That matters for farmers looking for stable markets. It matters for schools working to serve fresh, nutritious meals. And it matters for communities building a healthier, more resilient future, one that supports the next generation of farmers, keeps food dollars local, and recognizes the connection between agriculture, environment, and health.

So yes, if believing in that makes us the “Big Spinach Lobby,” we’ll take it.

And we’ll keep doing the work.

The Iowa Food System Coalition was formed to chart a course toward a thriving, sustainable, and equitable food system in Iowa. Stay connected to the latest food system news: Subscribe to our newsletter!