INFEWS PROJECT (2020 - ongoing)

The INFEWS project seeks to collect the perspectives of both Iowa farmers and consumers in order to develop a framework for analysis of food, energy, and water systems for the greater Des Moines area.

In early spring of 2020, SRS moderated in-person focus groups with commodity, specialty, and urban farmers in the greater Des Moines area. Consumers within the same region engaged in online focus groups later in spring of 2020.

The UrbanFEWS team (composed of researchers at Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa and University of Texas at Arlington) is currently developing a questionnaire for both crop producers and consumers to be administered by SRS in 2021. The UrbanFEWS (Urban Food-Energy-Water Systems) team will use the collected data to find new ways to help cities become more self-reliant and sustainable.

For more information, please visit the Iowa UrbanFEWS website.

Primary Investigators: Janette Thompson, Nicholas Schwab
Project Partners/Funders: UrbanFEWS (Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, University of Texas Arlington)
SRS Project Manager: Ellen McIntosh
Modes: Focus groups, web surveys