Minnesota Profile

Minnesota is showing increasing interest in Farm to School. A number of districts around the state including the Hopkins, MN and St. Paul school districts in the Twin Cities metro area have been sourcing local food for several years. Since 2005, the Willmar district in Western Minnesota has offered a monthly locally-grown feature throughout the school year. Willmar?s approach and related resources are being shared through a new Minnesota Farm to School toolkit that will be available at www.mn-farmtoschool.umn.edu. The Little Falls School District received the Congressional Hunger Award in 2008 for their Farm to School work.

The Minnesota School Nutrition Association, in conjunction with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, launched a new MSNA Task Force in Fall 2008 that will develop a gameplan for expanding use of local foods in Minnesota schools.

The University of Minnesota has also created a Farm to School position in the Extension Center for Family Development to integrate Farm to School in the Nutrition Education Program and other university initiatives.

In partnership with IATP, the St. Paul Public School District is also participating in the Kellogg Foundation-funded School Food FOCUS project. FOCUS is a national network of large urban districts working to expand use of local, sustainably-grown, and healthier foods in their foodservice operations. St. Paul and IATP will be working with Michigan State University to research the local supply base and the potential to expand the district?s procurement of local, sustainable and healthier products.