By Jaycie Thomsen, Minnesota Food Charter Network Intern Nearly five years ago, passionate food system advocates began organizing thousands of stakeholders in listening sessions, interviews, and events to create the Minnesota Food Charter, a document to help all Minnesotans gain access to healthy, safe, and affordable food. In the five years since the Minnesota Food […]
By Michael Dahl, Director of the Minnesota Food Charter Network I grew up poor. I lived in a shoddy trailer from the 1960s, which had haphazard wafer-board additions tacked on as our family grew. I lived through many of the experiences that poor families face. I watched my parents try to reconcile an irreconcilable budget […]
Greetings food systems advocates, network leaders, and Food Charter Champions: The Minnesota Food Charter Network is excited to share a draft participatory grantmaking process with you today. This process is similar to a traditional request for proposals, but with much greater community engagement throughout all stages, including in shaping the proposal and in the final […]
Talk is ripe in the nation’s Capital about the 2018 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is a key component in determining the structure and function of the American food system. The bill covers twelve titles from Commodity Programs to Crop Insurance, from Rural Development to Energy. The bill is also the largest source of funding […]
The Minnesota Food Charter Network is offering a series of learning resources throughout 2018 to help food networks and food advocates across Minnesota sharpen their strategic communications skills and hone their network development know-how. We’re offering TWO—you heard that right—TWO different online learning series to help you and your colleagues be persuasive communicators and effective […]
Minnesotan farmers and rural residents are frustrated. They are frustrated that they have been voicing their opinions on major issues, yet little has been done by legislators and government to address them. In the spring and summer of both 2017 and 2018, the Minnesota Farmer’s Union (MFU) hosted 16 Rural Voices Discussions. The events this […]
The Minnesota Food Charter Network supports the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (that is SNAP or what was formerly known as food stamps). It’s important to let your Congressperson know NOW how important SNAP is to your community: Need to know who your US Representative is? This will help you out. Call Representative Tim Walz at (202) 225-2472: Tell him that 50,000 […]
Healthy relationships can create incredible power. As the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one.” Now, as part of the Minnesota Food Charter Network, we all get to think about how hundreds of people engaged in thousands of overlapping relationships are working as a whole to create a strong, supportive network. Together and statewide, our goal […]
The rutabaga, a humble root vegetable that thrives in cool climates and keeps well, is the emblem of a collaborative project nurtured on Minnesota’s Iron Range with two broad aims: to help people with low incomes access healthy fresh food and to create markets for local food producers. In 2013 the Rutabaga Project was born […]
I am proud to announce a new and expanded Strategic Team for the Minnesota Food Charter Network, which will meet for its first time on March 29 in St. Cloud, MN. We’ve brought in a number of new voices and improved our representation of Minnesota’s regions and diverse population. As the think-tank for the Minnesota […]
Minnesota kids today aren’t likely to learn at mom’s or grandma’s elbow to bake from scratch, fry up chicken or assemble a tuna casserole. The foods they are a-changin’ (apologies to Bob Dylan). Despite the wealth of cooking knowledge and bountiful cultural food traditions Minnesotans bring to the table, too often families are time-strapped and […]
By Jim Chamberlin, President, Sustainable Farming Association Board The Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) has long advocated for a just and equitable food system. Since its inception 25 years ago, our farmer-to-farmer network has focused on growing food in a manner that protects and restores our soil and water resources. And we’re good at it. However, […]
We are pleased to invite you to be a part of a new tool: The Minnesota Food Charter Champion Map. This map was developed by the Learning and Capacity Building Action Team of the Minnesota Food Charter Network. The map is intended to help people connect with information, resources, and others doing similar work in order […]
On February 6th, attend your party’s caucus to help improve Minnesota’s food system. This year is an important election year, which presents a great opportunity for us to come together to positively impact our food systems and help make sure MN’s agriculture and food policy is sustainable and just. While it’s important those of us […]
This past November and December, while attending eight of the nine Regional Minnesota Food Charter in Action events, I was fortunate enough to listen in as over 700 people engaged in meaningful conversations about food. Participants reminisced about how food is deeply embedded in their traditions and favorite memories. In many ways, attendees shared how […]
Earlier this month several Minnesota Food Charter Champions traveled to Boston for the 2017 Community Food Systems Conference. An estimated 500 attendees from the fields of community food security, social justice, and sustainable agriculture gathered to discuss their range of perspectives, how these areas overlap, and how to support one another’s work. While the whole […]
These days, many people are interested in finding ways to build bridges across difference, find common ground, and work together to advance changes that benefit the public good. That’s why the Minnesota Food Charter is so powerful. A shared roadmap developed by thousands of Minnesotans, the Food Charter is composed of 99 proven policy and […]
Social-impact networks don’t happen overnight—they evolve. Peter Plasrik, Madeline Taylor, and John Cleveland council in their book Connecting to Change the World: Recognizing a network’s potential evolutionary patterns can help you to anticipate and manage opportunities and challenges likely to come your way. (2014, p. 104) The development of a network’s capability, what its members […]
You should be a Minnesota Food Charter Champion! Stacy Hammer, a registered dietitian with the Lower Sioux Health Care Center, works to get healthier food options served at community meetings, powwows, funerals, and other important widely attended events hosted at the community center or the tribe’s casino. Janneke Quick Sobeck, Director for Live Well Winona and […]
Prepared by: Johnstad & Associates A key ingredient of network health is connectivity—how and the degree to which members are connected to each other. Network mapping is a great way for people to cultivate a network mindset and actually see themselves as part of a network. Network mapping helps participants see, analyze and act to […]
Prepared by: Johnstad & Associates We have some great news to share. At the beginning of October, we worked with Jamie Bain from University of Minnesota Extension to send out a brief survey to all the local, regional, and statewide networks and groups identified as working on improving access to, availability of, and/or affordability of healthy foods […]
Throughout November and December, nine Minnesota Food Charter in Action events are taking place to build momentum for creating a Minnesota where its residents have reliable access to healthy, safe, and affordable food no matter where they live or how much money they have. Specifically, our goals are to: Build and strengthen relationships; Recognize and […]
From to Marshall to Mountain Iron, big things are happening in the Minnesota Food Charter Network. To continue to support local and regional food access work, the University of Minnesota Extension is coordinating the Minnesota Food Charter in Action series—nine events across the state in November and December to bring together community members, key decision […]
The Minnesota Food Charter Network’s vision is that all Minnesotans can have reliable access to healthy, safe, and affordable food in the places the work, learn, live, and play. Minnesota Food Charter Network Champions carry out this work and represent many sectors, working together to foster healthy food skills, healthy food environments, and a healthy […]
Across the country, communities continue to innovate and connect with the shared aim of improving reliable access to safe, affordable, healthy food. In Minnesota–under the umbrella of the Minnesota Food Charter Network–and beyond, many continue to advance state policy, work through local government channels, create new policies and priorities in organizations, and foster powerful collaborations […]
Our state is stronger when everyone has access to opportunities for health, security, prosperity, and quality of life. However, in Minnesota, we face serious issues related to food and health—nearly 900,000 Minnesota residents live in lower-income communities with insufficient grocery store access. Policies and plans are needed to create environments where the healthy choice is […]
An update from Minnesota Food Charter Network Director Michael Dahl: Minnesota Food Charter Champion Honored with National Award Congratulations to Minnesota Food Charter Champion David Manuel for being honored with the National Indian Health Board Outstanding Service Award on September 27. David was recognized for affecting change and improving the health of Red Lake Nation. […]
Prepared by: Johnstad & Associates Healthy networks have people who fulfill the role of Network Weaver. Are you a Network Weaver? Here are some good questions about this role. Why is this role important? How would I know if I’m effectively playing this role? Network Weavers share information about the Minnesota Food Charter Network with […]
For the second year in a row, Red Lake Nation members and others from around the region gathered earlier this month at the Redby Community Center, the Red Lake Local Foods Initiative training garden, and the Red Lake Nation College to learn all about Indigenous food. Participants explored a range of topics, including Indigenous seed […]
Excerpts from the Minnesota Farmers Union’s August 1, 2017 report Rural Voices Discussions: The Next Farm Bill There is an ever-present question on the minds of policymakers and the media: What do rural people think? In no area is this as true as when it’s time to build a new federal Farm Bill. As the United […]
Want to be inspired? Watch the short documentary “The Story of New Ulm: A Population Health Transformation.” You’ll learn that in focusing on the social determinants of health, New Ulm, in the words of New Ulm Medical Center’s President Toby Freier, has “improved by 7% the level of hypertension within a community, … has stabilized […]
By: Johnstad & Associates Here is a good question that someone recently posed to us: How do people feel connected to a network and what role can evaluation play? Developing strong connections among members is the foundation for three types of network actions: Members exchange information easily and are then learning because of the interchange. […]
On May 4th, 2017, twenty Extension staff and community partners met to participate in a shared gifting circle, an innovative approach to participatory grantmaking pioneered by RSF Social Finance. During the process, grant recipients collectively determined how $36,000 would be allocated amongst their proposed “action projects.” The circle was part of an Issue Area grant-funded […]
By: Michael Dahl I am grateful for everyone who contacted their legislators with the goal of making sure everyone has reliable access to healthy, affordable, and safe food. Because of your hard work, vital programs were maintained (e.g. the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership, Market Bucks), some received increased funding (e.g. food shelves and the Good […]
Prepared by: Johnstad & Associates Someone asked me the other day just what is the purpose of our evaluation work and how will the data be used. Good questions. First some reminders. Never forget that Minnesota’s food system is complex. Underneath this system is a set of networks holding the old ways in place that […]
Did you know that 15 different federal agencies regulate our food? Despite the complexity of our food system, there is no formal structure for coordination, collaboration, or communication among these federal agencies. We know the resulting system is full of challenges and contradictions, without clear alignment to tackle the serious issues of diet-related diseases, food […]
Christian Schultz and Kayla Prismore are new generation farmers – neither grew up farming. Through Woodchuck Community Farms, they rent land from Kayla’s family near Moorhead, where they live and work. The couple met in high school in Minneapolis and began farming right after college. His interest in sustainable, organic food production derived partly from […]
The evaluation of the health and effectiveness of the Minnesota Food Charter Network is intended to contribute to the network to achieve its potential in fostering the deep changes that need to occur in our food system. Johnstad and Associates are in the process of developing a set of tools to assess Minnesota Food Charter […]
To say Mankato hungered for new dining options might be an understatement. When Friesen’s Bakery & Bistro opened three years ago, they had to close early several times because they’d run out of food. Within two weeks, co-owners Natasha Frost, her husband Tony Friesen, and family member Spencer Vanderhof expanded their operation. Eventually, they opened […]
Did you see the front-page article in the Sunday Star Tribune (April 24, 2017) about the demand for local food? It highlights some of the great work in Minnesota and the strides that have been made in the past 15 years. For example, the number of Minnesota Grown farmers markets have increased statewide from 45 in […]
The popular Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is surely geared to its target audience of children from birth through 10. The Mankato museum offers numerous indoor and outdoor displays and gardens, opportunities to see live animals up close, and child-sized garden tools available for those who want to dig in. One of the organization’s clear […]
The Minnesota Food Charter is a shared roadmap of 99 proven policy and systems changes strategies that will improve health and prosperity for all Minnesotans. Out of those 99 strategies, more than 20 require state and legislative action to ensure safe, affordable, healthy food for everyone. With the state legislative session heating up, we wanted […]
The Minnesota Food Charter is designed to ensure that all Minnesotans have reliable access to safe, affordable, healthy food. Why? When it comes to health, not everyone is on a level playing field. In many parts of the state, certain communities experience disproportionate rates of diet-related chronic diseases (such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, and […]
The Minnesota Food Charter contains 99 proven policy and systems changes strategies designed to increase reliable access to safe, affordable, healthy food for all Minnesotans. There are over twenty policy strategies contained in the Food Charter that are focused on state-level policy action. If implemented, these policies are designed to move the dial on creating […]
“We Are the Champions” blared out of the hotel’s sound system. At the same time nearly 80 food network leaders from over 40 local, regional, or issue-based networks snaked their way around the ballroom. When the music stopped, pairs — in quick interactions — shared how they were championing Minnesota Food Charter strategies in their […]
Last week, the Minnesota Food Charter joined Minnesota Food Funders Network members to visit three farms that practice sustainable agriculture and reflect several Food Charter strategies. The Cannon River Watershed Partnership, Main Street Project, and Hmong American Farmers Association all led important conversations with tour participants on food access, water quality, cover crops, regenerative agriculture, […]
The 99 strategies contained in the Minnesota Food Charter include myriad federal policy recommendations—spanning seed to table, research to education, technology to taxation. Indeed, the simple reality is many changes to our food systems can only occur at the federal level, with the federal government playing a major role to guide the evolution of the […]
This article is the second of three in a series on developing successful food networks. Across Minnesota, food and agriculture coalitions—also called food networks—are cropping up all the time (pun intended). With ~70 food networks in Minnesota in various phases of development and activity, communities across our state recognize the value and potential that these […]
Communities across the country have established local, regional, and issue-specific food and agriculture coalitions, often referred to as ‘food policy councils,’ ‘community food partnerships,’ or ‘food networks.’ These groups pursue systems and policy changes that can enhance the health and vitality of our food supply. In Minnesota, we have more than 20 of these food […]
When it comes to good health in our state, not everyone has a level playing field. This has dire consequences for disadvantaged Minnesotans, but there’s a growing awareness that health disparities make it harder for everyone in a community to achieve full health. At one time, Minnesota was the healthiest state in the nation. In […]
The Minnesota Food Charter Network—the statewide network, rooted in Minnesota Food Charter strategies, that supports and fosters shared action towards healthy food access for all— recently hired Michael Dahl as its first director. Dahl took office April 1. Michael brings more than 20 years of economic justice advocacy and lobbying experience to the Network. He […]
A lot of Minnesota communities don’t have easy access to a store that sells healthy, affordable food. It’s a big problem for many city neighborhoods and remote rural communities across the state. However, to the rescue, comes the Minnesota Food Charter. Armed with its 99 strategies to create a Minnesota with healthy, affordable and safe […]
David Manuel is an enrolled member and resident of the Red Lake Nation; he’s also a Food Charter Champion. Year-round, David can be found in the woods, on the lake, and in the garden. This time of year, he is just winding up ‘sugarbush’ – tapping maple trees, boiling sap, and making maple syrup and […]
This article was originally published on Winona Daily News and written by Marcia Ratliff, a Winona Daily News reporter covering wellness, environment and arts topics. A healthy diet plays a big role in a healthy lifestyle, and the newly-formed Community Food Partnership Team is working to make sure every Winona County resident has access to […]
By: Sue Letourneau, Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, and Pam Bishop, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation There is strong legacy of creative work and collaboration between Minnesota’s funding community and hunger relief organizations and coalitions that have led to real impact. As funders who work at the intersection of food, […]
The Minnesota Food Charter Health Equity Guide Offers Resources to Improve Healthy Food Access for all Communities While Minnesota’s food system requires myriad changes to ensure healthy, safe, and affordable food is accessible for everyone—Minnesotans of color and American Indians are disproportionately affected by these issues. Cultural barriers, such as institutional and economic inequities, human […]
New funding means more support for Minnesota meat processing facilities. Last month, we told you about the recent bill passage that made it possible for inmates to obtain butcher licensures while serving time—not only providing them an opportunity to thrive after their sentences are complete, but also to support the small meat processing industry in […]
A recently-passed bill will create more licensed butchers in Minnesota, supporting the Northeast region and keeping farms connected to consumers. While Minnesotans’ appetite for locally-processed meat is as hearty as ever, the unfortunate reality is that small-town butchers are fewer and farther between than ever before. Two-thirds of the owners of small Minnesota meat processing […]
The Food Charter offers effective, publicly-supported ways to improve all Minnesotans’ health through changes in food environments and furthering collaboration within our food and farm economy. By implementing strategies outlined in the Food Charter, we can ensure a healthy, safe food supply—and support the state’s future prosperity, including reducing healthcare costs, increasing worker productivity, and supporting […]
Today, a strategic group of 50 decision-makers working in food and farm financing and technical assistance are convening at the University of Minnesota to explore together how to align and strengthen our state’s ecosystem of these resources to increase the health and prosperity of all communities. Hosted by the Minnesota Food Funders Network, “Our Common Table: […]
Several Food Charter-related requests are working their way through the busy legislative session—particularly around food infrastructure strategies to improve food safety and inspections, promoting the development of urban agriculture, and restoring regionally-scaled processing facilities across the state. Here’s a bit more detail about the bills moving through the legislature: SF1459 – The Omnibus Agriculture policy bill, […]
For years, people across the state have been working across sectors, across communities, across county lines, across Indian Country, to ensure healthy, safe, and affordable food is accessible to everyone. From hunger relief to family farms, we’ve made significant progress over the years towards a healthy food future for Minnesota. The launch of the Minnesota […]
For Food Charter Champions across Minnesota, 2014 was a year marking an important step forward. For three years, leaders from many sectors, interests, and communities, worked together to engage the public and produce the Minnesota Food Charter and Schools Leader Guide. These two documents offer proven and specific policy and systems change strategies identified by […]
Organizations and individuals across the state are working diligently on advancing Food Charter strategies in various settings. To help with this important work, we’ve developed seven setting-specific mini-guides to help stakeholders learn more about healthy food access issues in places they live, learn, work, and play. The mini-guides offer recommendations and strategies to help implement […]
For many years, organizations and individuals across Minnesota have worked diligently in pursuit of a healthy food future. The Minnesota Food Charter reflects a useful synthesis of numerous, vetted policy and systems change strategies many already believed were needed; its October launch offered a way to share this change agenda in a cohesive and broad […]
The time has come! The Food Charter launches today at the Food Access Summit in Duluth, Minnesota. Thousands of Minnesotans have come together in preparation for this exciting moment in history. The Food Charter will serve as a roadmap to guide policymakers and community leaders in advancing access to affordable, safe, and healthy food for […]
Through partnerships with community organizations and state and local leaders, Minnesota has spent the past decade building support for young children to ensure they’re set up for a lifetime of academic success. But success in school isn’t the only thing that can be impacted by early intervention; the foundations for a lifetime of healthy eating […]
New immigrants are significant drivers of Minnesota’s food system—not only are they food consumers, but they also play an important role in the growing and distribution of food for local markets. New immigrants work on and own farms, in restaurants, and in supermarkets and other food stores. Their influence on how and what we eat […]
The majority of Minnesota’s residents spend a significant amount of their time at work; many employees eat or purchase food there. Creating healthy food environments at work can significantly impact what Minnesotans eat and, in turn, their overall health. A healthy workforce keeps healthcare costs down and employee productivity up. A Harvard study has shown […]
Over the past few months, we’ve shared findings from the Minnesota Food Charter statewide public input process, focusing on food equity issues in communities, schools, and healthcare settings on our Third Thursday webinars. This month, we’ll explore the challenges and solutions for healthy food access in Native communities. We’ll focus on how tribally-led initiatives and […]
During the past few months, we’ve shared findings collected from the Minnesota Food Charter public input process, with a focus on healthy communities and the importance of good nutrition in learning environments like schools. This month, we look at healthcare and how one of Minnesota’s largest industries can also be one of the most effective […]
Minnesota Food Charter Public Input Findings: Community Setting This month, Dr. Kathy Draeger, Statewide Director for the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Food Charter Steering Committee member, will host our “Third Thursday” webinar: “For Our Healthy Future: Communities And Healthy Food Access.” It’s widely recognized that food access is […]
Minnesota Food Charter Public Input Findings: School Setting In last month’s newsletter, we told you a little more about the public input process for the Minnesota Food Charter and gave a sneak peek into some of the findings that were presented at the January 29 “For Our Healthy Food Future: Food Charter Findings.” More than […]
“The menu has been chosen, and now comes the challenge of preparing all that has been ordered. More than 2,000 people across Minnesota participated in 127 regional events to draft Minnesota’s Food Charter, which aims to guide state agencies and others on how to increase access to healthy foods.” Read the rest of the story […]
In just 12 months’ time, thousands of Minnesotans – the general public (consumers), nutrition experts, farmers, food distributors, and a host of other healthy food advocates – contributed their feedback about improving nutritious food access for all. Input gathered from more than 150 Food Charter Events, online worksheets, interviews, listening sessions, and a virtual townhall […]
Since the Minnesota Food Charter first engaged with residents across the state in early 2013, the public response has been exciting and informative. In just 11 short months, the Food Charter has connected with more than 2,000 Minnesotans at 130-plus events. In addition, more than 400 online responses have been compiled and, most recently, the […]
You’ve been asked to participate and you have! And now the Minnesota Food Charter is taking things to the next level. It’s here and you’re invited to participate – from your desk at work or sofa at home. The Minnesota Food Charter MindMixer Online Townhall platform is live. Now through the end of January 2014, […]
Editor’s Note: The following article is reprinted from the Healthy Eating Minnesota online network. Visit www.healthyeatingmn.org Nobles County, in the southwestern corner of Minnesota, produces plenty of food. In fact, it ranks among the top 10 counties in the state in total agricultural production. Yet access to healthy food can be a challenge in this […]
Tribally based efforts can play a significant and positive role by creating increased access to and consumption of healthier foods. Minnesota is often touted as one of the healthiest states in the nation. While that is indeed true, for many Minnesotans, especially from communities of color, that distinction is not shared. One of those communities […]
Minnesota Food Charter listening sessions and interviews provide a wealth of input on improving access to healthy food for all Minnesotans. The Minnesota Food Charter is a public process designed to identify policy, systems and environmental changes that can help steer Minnesota’s decisions related to healthy foods access far into the future. More than 130 […]
Health Care Facilities Become Healthy Food Champions Hear the words “hospital” or “clinic” and what terms come to mind? Healing? Good health? Rapidly expanding efforts by hospitals and clinics in Minnesota will soon add “healthy food” to that list of descriptors. Healthcare facilities throughout Minnesota are working to improve access to healthy local foods—including fresh fruits […]
The SHIP-Food Charter Connection In 2008, faced with skyrocketing health care and health costs due to the growing impacts of unhealthy eating, a lack of physical activity and tobacco use, Minnesota policymakers had to make a decision. They could hope piecemeal efforts in the public and private sectors designed to combat this growing triple threat […]
In February 2013, we set out to engage communities across the state in important conversations about access to healthy food in our schools, worksites, health care institutions, childcare settings and other community environments. Our goal? Gather as many ideas, comments and even questions around improving Minnesota’s food system so that all Minnesotans can have access […]
As the food and nutrition director for Dover-Eyota School District, Carrie Frank didn’t know she’d get an opportunity to change the lives of the district’s 1,142 students when she stopped by a produce stand in nearby Rochester to purchase fresh sweet corn. For some time, Carrie struggled to find a farmer who could deliver locally grown […]
by Tom Cherveny GRANITE FALLS — So-called “food deserts” in our nation’s urban areas have received much press lately, but the problem may be even more challenging in parts of rural southwestern Minnesota. In urban areas, food deserts are neighborhoods where convenience stores are the main source of food items. They primarily stock snack foods […]
More and more Minnesotans are turning to food shelves to help meet their daily food needs. In 2012, Minnesotans visited food shelves more than three million times, according to Hunger Solutions Minnesota. With strong links between hunger and obesity, food shelves and their distribution depots, food banks are discovering ways to infuse healthier food options […]
By Carmen Peota Some Minnesotans are aiming to do for obesity what the anti-tobacco movement did for smoking five years ago: create a new normal. An effort is underway in the land of Jell-O salad and hot dish to ensure that people across the state have access to healthy foods so that individuals make better […]
