Sawyer Joins Farm, Food and Enterprise Development Team

After earning a journalism degree in 2012, Rebecca Bowen Sawyer put her skills to work – albeit in some creative and unconventional ways.

The first 10 years of her career, she helped manage social media and office duties with the Confluence Brewing Co. in Des Moines, where she helped market craft drinks made locally.

This fall, she began a new role with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, as a business administrator with the Farm, Food and Enterprise Development team.

In this position, she helps organize budgets and costing allocations for the Farm, Food and Enterprise Development Unit and she manages the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center website – a resource hub for producers and processors who are involved with value-added enterprises.

Her work helps provide information nationally to farmers and food system practitioners, helping them obtain valuable and time-sensitive information, while also supporting the specialists who make up the Farm, Food and Enterprise Development team.

“We are excited to have Rebecca join our team at FFED,” said Courtney Long, program manager for FFED with ISU Extension and Outreach. “She brings real-world marketing experience, having worked in the value-added industry in Des Moines, and now for extension and outreach. She is going to be a great asset for our team and will provide much needed assistance as we consider our AgMRC website, financial and cost center support.”

Bowen Sawyer said she is excited to return to her alma matter, and looks forward to the opportunity to serve all Iowans.

“I’ve always been very interested in equity and access to local foods,” she said. “I look forward to supporting the work of our food systems team and discovering where I can make contributions down the road.”

Bowen Sawyer also holds a part-time job at the Des Moines Public Library. In her free time, she enjoys reading, as well as family camping and hiking trips with her husband, Jacob Sawyer. The Sawyers also enjoy gardening and growing wildflowers.

Bowen Sawyer can be reached at 515-294-0648 or rabowen@iastate.edu.