Honor Harvest

But food insecurity affects far more than hunger—research shows it is strongly linked to higher rates of physical and mental health issues. Programs like Honor Harvest aim to address these challenges by improving access to nutritious foods and supporting better overall health.

Honor Harvest, though not unique to the VA, recently launched at the Iowa City VA Health Care System to bring local farmers and Veterans together. The program improves access to healthy, locally grown foods for Iowa Veterans living with diet‑related chronic health conditions. This seven‑week pilot Food is Medicine initiative was developed through collaboration between the VHA Office of Rural Health and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

“The Honor Harvest program reflects our commitment to keeping Veterans at the center as we explore new ways to support their health and well‑being,” said Interim Executive Director Heath Streck. “We are proud to serve as the pilot site and grateful for the collaboration that will connect Veterans with fresh, locally produced foods.”

The White Team Primary Care Clinic at the Iowa City VA Medical Center (ICVAMC) is overseeing the program during its initial pilot phase. Within this clinic, VA Internal Medicine physicians work alongside University of Iowa Internal Medicine residents to deliver team‑based care. Eligible Veterans must receive primary care through the White Team, live in a rurally designated ZIP code, and have a diet‑related chronic condition such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, or obesity. Veterans are screened before their scheduled clinic visit and offered enrollment during check‑in. Project lead Dr. Taylor Cox noted that limiting enrollment to White Team patients this year allows the team to closely monitor outcomes and prepare for potential expansion.

As part of the program, Field to Family Food Hub purchases, curates, aggregates, stores, packages, and distributes fresh, locally grown produce, meat, and dairy products exclusively from Choose Iowa members— the state’s signature branding initiative for locally grown foods and agricultural products. This year, 40 eligible Veterans receive a weekly box of Iowa‑grown food through on‑site pickup at the ICVAMC.

“The main goal is to improve chronic disease management by increasing intake of healthy foods,” said Dr. Cox. “It’s important and unique because it connects our state’s resources with the people who need them most.”

Dr. Peter Kaboli, Executive Director of the VHA Office of Rural Health, witnessed the success of Honor Harvest at the White River Junction VA in Vermont. Through collaboration and shared knowledge between sites, the Iowa City team was able to launch the program in just a few months.

“The goal is for this to become an ongoing program, with multiple cohorts each year. The team has done a great job connecting with the local food hub (Field to Family) and has a process to identify Veterans who could benefit from the food‑is‑medicine program.”