The Heartland Food Business Coalition advances the work of partners that in 2023-2025 organized and launched this 5-state business support team for food and farm entrepreneurs in local and regional markets. They include:
Partners in Iowa
Global Greens – Lutheran Services in Iowa
3125 Cottage Grove Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50311
Dan Dean
dan.dean@lsiowa.org
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
2625 N.Loop Dr., Suite 2430, Ames, IA 50010
Christa Hartsook
hartc@iastate.edu
Partners in Kansas
Common Ground Producers and Growers
2430 E. 33rd Street North
Wichita, KS 67219
Donna Pearson McClish
donna@commongroundpg.com
Kansas Black Farmers Association
200 Washington Street
Nicodemus, KS 67625
JohnElla Holmes
Johnella.h@kbfa.org
Kansas Department of Agriculture
1320 Research Park Drive
Manhattan, KS 66502
Jake Renner
Jake.Renner@ks.gov
Kansas Farmers Union
115 E. Marlin, Suite #108
McPherson, KS 67460
Nick Levendofsky
nick@kansasfarmersunion.org
Kansas Rural Center
PO Box 314, North Newton, KS 67117
Tom Buller
tom@kansasruralcenter.org
Leslie Montee
leslie.m@kansasruralcenter.org
Kansas Small Business Development Center
800 SW Jackson Street
Topeka, KS 66612
Christine Hoffman
cehoffman2@fhsu.edu
Brenda Hampton
bjhampton@fhsu.edu
Kansas State Research and Extension
121 Umberger Hall, 1612 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66506
Rial Carver
rtcarver@ksu.edu
Marlin Bates
batesm@ksu.edu
Kansas Value Added Foods Lab
1530 Mid-Campus Drive North
Manhattan, KS 66506
Karen Blakeslee
kblakesl@ksu.edu
The Kansas City Food Hub
4710 Merriam Drive
Overland Park, KS 66203
Thomas Smith
thomas.smith@thekcfoodhub.com
Partners in Missouri
Brookside Farmers Market
6425 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64113
Riley Buckman
info@brooksidefarmersmarket.com
Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture
1769 W. Ash Street
Columbia, MO 65203
Billy Polansky
billyp@columbiaurbanag.org
Missouri Agriculture, Food and Forestry Innovation Center
223 Mumford Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
Mallory Rahe
mallory.rahe@missouri.edu
Springfield Community Gardens
1126 North Broadway Avenue
Springfield, MO 65802
Maile Auterson
maile.auterson@springfieldcommunitygardens.org
University of Missouri Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems
211 Whitten Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
Jamie Kleinsorge
help@cares.missouri.edu
University of Missouri Extension
322 Mumford Hall, Columbia, Missouri 65211
Bill McKelvey
mckelveywa@missouri.edu
Partners in Nebraska
University of Nebraska Extension
1650 N 35th Street, Lincoln, NE 68583
Mary Emery
memery@unl.edu
Benjamin Jewell
bmcshane-jewell2@unl.edu
University of Nebraska at Omaha
6001 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68182
Steve Schulz
sschulz@unomaha.edu
Ahn Ta
ata@unomaha.edu
Partners in Oklahoma
Kerr Food and Agriculture Products Center
148 FAPC Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
Rodney B. Holcomb
fapc@okstate.edu
The Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
24456 Kerr Road, Poteau, OK 74953
David Redhage
dredhage@kerrcenter.com