Please visit www.localfoods.umn.edu for a database of local food producers, processors, retailers and resources.
Strengthening Local Food Economies
- Activities at University of Minnesota, Crookston
In fall semester, 2003, the UMC Ag Marketing Research class conducted a survey of local food producers, processors and agencies in northwestern Minnesota. Students working on this service learning project identified over 70 farmers in the region that grow and market local foods. The results of the survey have been compiled on a searchable database by UMC student Andrew Sheppard; it can be viewed at the link below.
During spring semester, 2004, UMC student, Hector Santellanes, gathered information on the procurement procedures, amounts and types of meat used at UMC. This baseline information guided the development of two activities for fall semester 2004. Local foods and local food vendors were featured at Golden Eagle Days. UMC Dining Services featured locally grown meat on its menu one day each week for 9 weeks. Local foods were also featured in the Restaurant class.
- Minnesota Campus Compact Grant
Local Foods, Healthy Kids, Sustainable Communities is a project partnership involving White Earth Tribal and Community College, University of Minnesota Crookston, University of Minnesota Extension Service, Northwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership and four K-12 School districts in the region: Crookston, Mahnomen, Fertile-Beltrami and Circle of Life. This year long project seeks to characterize the use of local foods in K-12 schools and encourage using more local foods to realized health benefits for kids and economic benefits for food producers.
