Civic leaders in the western Iowa town of Harlan “are designing an economic development strategy around food and farm entrepreneurs,” says a Wallace Center article reprinted by the Daily Yonder. The chief executive of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Todd Valline, says, “Our goal is to establish Shelby County as the hub of the wheel of the local farm-to-table sector in the region.” The county is within comfortable driving range of three urban markets – Des Moines, Omaha and Kansas City, Villane says. “If we can develop this hub, it will be attractive to those entrepreneurs out there in the 25-35 age range looking to take their businesses to the next level,” he says.
The centerpiece of the project is FarmTable Delivery business, operated by Ellen Walsh-Rosmann. It has moved into the business incubator in Harlan. “It includes services and facilities to help local farmers grow their businesses also. Walsh-Rosmann will offer use of a processing kitchen, post-harvest handling area, classroom and potluck meeting space, and things like discounted boxes and other supplies that FarmTable buys in bulk,” says the article.