From local farms to grocery store shelves, food systems are shaped by more than what shoppers see in the produce aisle. Behind every cucumber and tomato is a network of farmers, policies and logistics that make meals possible. Students in Mari Rice’s Fall 2025 Investigate Boise course spent their semester learning all about food systems in Boise as part of a project assisting the City of Boise’s Climate Action Office.
The class visited leaders at several key sites across Boise’s food ecosystem, including ReWild Farm, Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS), Twenty Mile South Farm and Idaho Food Bank. Through their conversations, they found that there are several barriers facing local farmers in Idaho:
- Farmland loss as development expands
- Policy and bureaucratic challenges related to zoning, homeowner’s association restrictions, displacement risk and unclear permitting pathways
- Farmer’s market accessibility
- Climate variability/ irrigation
- Labor expenses
- Insurance and liability options and affordability
Using their research findings, the students created a report including recommendations to address these barriers, as well as a food system story map for the Boise community that consolidates existing resources and serves as a tool for anyone interested in learning more about food resources in the city.
