Minnesota Food Association

TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM BASED ON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THROUGH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

MINNESOTA FOOD ASSOCIATION (MFA) WORKS TO BUILD A MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM BASED ON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THROUGH EDUCATION, TRAINING AND PARTNERSHIPS. MFA OPERATES BIG RIVER FARMS, A CERTIFIED ORGANIC TRAINING FARM AND FOOD HUB THAT PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEGINNING FARMERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AROUND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. 2016 ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BIG RIVER FARMS INCLUDE:PROVIDED TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ACCESS TO RESOURCES, WORKSHOPS, SKILLS SESSIONS AND INDIVIDUALIZED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED FOR 200+ BEGINNING IMMIGRANT AND MINORITY FARMERS TO START AND GROW THEIR SMALL FARM BUSINESSES. IN ADDITION TO COMMUNITY-BASED WORKSHOPS, THREE LEVELS OF IN-DEPTH TRAINING WERE PROVIDED INCLUDING THE BASIC TRAINING PROGRAM, WHOLE FARM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND ORGANIC TRANSITIONS PROGRAM. TRAINING TOPICS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TOPICS INCLUDE DIVERSIFIED VEGETABLE PRODUCTION PLANNING, ORGANIC CERTIFICATION/ORGANIC METHODS, FARM BUSINESS PLANNING, FOOD SAFETY AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, ETC.PROVIDED ACCESS TO LAND AND TOOLS NEEDED FOR 17 AGRICULTURAL BUSINESSES TO OPERATE, INCREASING SMALL FARMER INCOME AND LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO 200+ IMMIGRANT AND MINORITY FARMERS THROUGH FIELD DAYS, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND CO-HOSTING OF THE 12TH ANNUAL IMMIGRANT AND MINORITY FARMERS CONFERENCE, ONE OF THE LARGEST GATHERINGS OF ITS KIND WITH 374 ATTENDEES REGISTEREDPRODUCED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE, DISTRIBUTED AND CONSUMED LOCALLY THUS INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT LOCALLY PRODUCED FOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.EXPANDED AND SERVICED MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED ORGANIC FARMERS IN MINNESOTA. THIS INCLUDED AGGREGATION, MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION SERVICES TO SUPPLY A 170 MEMBER COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA) PROGRAM, A WEEKLY FARMERS MARKET STAND, CO-OP, SCHOOLS, RESTAURANTS AND OTHER WHOLESALE ACCOUNTS. CONTINUED TO GROW A YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDED HANDS-ON, FARM-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR APPROXIMATELY 400 CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS, ORGANIC FARMING AND HEALTHY FOOD.HOSTED NUMEROUS COMMUNITY EVENTS BRINGING IN MORE THAN 600 VISITORS TO THE FARM IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM CHALLENGES AS WELL AS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANT AND MINORITY FARMERS TO A STRONGER LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM. HOSTED OFF-SITE EVENTS AS WELL TO INCREASE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.COLLABORATED WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO OPERATE TWO HEALING GARDENS FOR HMONG ELDERS AND INDIVIDUALS FACING NUMEROUS CHALLENGES. THESE GARDENS PROVIDED A SPACE FOR HEALING AND CONNECTION TO THE EARTH AND FOOD. MFA WORKS CLOSELY WITH MANY LOCAL AND STATE AGENCIES, COMMUNITY COLLABORATORS AND ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS TO BUILD A STRONG NETWORK OF SUPPORT AND TRAINING FOR BEGINNING AND HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS. MFA ALSO RECEIVED MANY REQUESTS FROM OTHER NONPROFITS AND FARMS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING WITH TOPICS SUCH AS BUILDING AN INCUBATOR PROGRAM, PLANNING A NEW FARM OPERATION, OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH FARMING. STAFF TRAVELED TO AND PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL INCUBATOR FARM TRAINING INITIATIVE (NIFTI) CONFERENCE IN AN EFFORT TO SHARE THE EXPERTISE OF OUR STAFF WITH OTHER LOCAL FOOD AND BEGINNING FARMER PROGRAMS BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.