‘Bet the Farm’ Author Leads Discussion on the Current State of Farming in Iowa

On September 12, Clarke University will host Beth Hoffman, author of “Bet the Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America” in a lecture and moderated panel discussion on the current state of farming in Iowa. This free event begins at 7 p.m. in the Alumnae Lecture Hall in Catherine Byrne Hall on the Clarke University Campus and is open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the Dubuque County Food Policy Council and State Representative Chuck Isenhart. 

Beth Hoffman moved from the West Coast to her family farm in Iowa and experienced first-hand the difficulties of farming, especially sustainable farming. Her book chronicles the struggles she and her family faced with growing crops, managing livestock and doing it all as COVID hit.

“Everyone, whether you grew up on a farm or have never visited one, relies on the food that families like Beth’s produce,” said Sunil Malapati, Professor of Chemistry and the head of the Nutrition and Food Science program at Clarke. “Understanding the challenges facing and the innovations occurring in this industry can help all of us appreciate how interconnected we are and how things like climate change impact our daily lives.”

Learn more about Beth Hoffman and her work at https://www.farmbetiowa.com/