Minnesota Involved Groups and Organizations

The following organizations have resources and information to help with your local Farm to School program.
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
The Local Foods Program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy works to build thriving local food systems by strengthening family farming, expanding markets for local foods, and advancing supportive policy change. IATP’s Farm to School initiatives include community outreach and education, supply chain development, foodservice and farmer training, policy initiatives and promotional support. Recent news, resources and our Farm to School e-newsletter are available at www.farm2schoolmn.org . IATP is the State Lead organization in Minnesota for the National Farm to School Network. rn

The UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
The Regional Partnerships are citizen-driven university partnerships fostering sustainable development. The Regional Partnerships are based in five regions throughout greater Minnesota that work to build community-University partnerships, including Farm to School pilots in aggregation and distribution, school food service toolkit, facilitating direct sales between farmers and schools, and building community capacity to scale up local foods systems.

Pride of the Prairie
Pride of the Prairie is a collaborative effort whose purpose is to promote the production and use of locally grown food and develop a regional food system in western Minnesota that provides good, nutritious food, nurtures a healthy environment and provides economic opportunity for area entrepreneurs.

Cornercopia Organic Student Farm
The Student Organic Farm on the St. Paul Campus We are a student driven and run transitioning to organic farm on the St. Paul Campus at the University of Minnesota. We grow 100+ varieties of fruits and vegetables, in 2005 we specialized in a Wild Salad Mix and Heirloom Tomatoes. We offer a student Farm Planning and Growing Class During spring semester and internships for students during the growing season.

Minnesota Department of Health
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) works to increase access to healthy foods for Minnesota children. MDH supports state and local Farm to School efforts through the Statewide Health Improvement Program, Great Trays, and other partnerships by offering technical assistance, building collaboration, and facilitating systems change.

University of Minnesota Extension
U of M Extension works to make a difference by connecting community needs and University resources to address critical issues in Minnesota. U of M Extension supports Farm to School by building community partnerships, coordinating trainings for schools and farmers, and providing hands-on nutrition education to children. U of M Extension is co-convener of Minnesota's statewide Farm to School Leadership Team.

Minnesota Department of Education
The Minnesota Department of Education’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers school and community nutrition programs for over 700,000 Minnesota children and adults through over 1,000 local schools, child and adult care facilities and summer food program sites.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Grown Program supports Farm to School activities through its free online database of farmers who market to schools, restaurants and other wholesale markets. MDA also provides free point of sale materials with the Minnesota Grown logo to help identify local products. More than 1,100 Minnesota farmers are members of the Minnesota Grown Program.

Minnesota School Nutrition Association (MSNA)
MSNA is working to change the face of child nutrition by offering quality nutritious food as an integral component of the education day. A key strategy to accomplish this goal is encouraging participation in local Farm to School efforts. F2S is featured at each MSNA conference and members are empowered to mentor each other in best practices related to all areas of school nutrition, including F2S.

University of Minnesota West Central Partnership
The University of Minnesota West Central Partnership works with citizens in the watershed to create and sustain healthy ecosystems, strong local economies and vibrant, self-reliant communities. Its mission--launching education and research that help people understand and achieve sustainability in their region--supports projects that demonstrate public purpose and is committed to building partnerships that connect the citizens of the watershed to local assets and the education, research and outreach resources of the University of Minnesota. Serving 12 counties of the Upper Minnesota River Valley watershed including Big Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Pope, Renville, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, and Yellow Medicine.

White Earth Land Recovery Project
The mission of the White Earth Land Recovery Project is to facilitate recovery of the original land base of the White Earth Indian Reservation, while preserving and restoring traditional practices of sound land stewardship, language fluency, community development, and strengthening our spiritual and cultural heritage.

Land Stewardship Project
Land Stewardship Project was founded in 1982, our mission is to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, promote sustainable agriculture, and to develop sustainable communities. LSP is a membership organization which works nationally and in Minnesota, focusing on farm and environmental issues. For more go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/.

Farmers’ Legal Action Group
Farmers’ Legal Action Group is a nonprofit law center dedicated to providing legal services to family farmers and their communities in order to keep farmers on the land. We have been working with farmers, providing technical and legal assistance in order to help them sell to schools, and helping to connect them with school districts interested in buying directly from farmers.