What We’ve Got

Minnesota has a lot going for it!

Food & Farm Economic Powerhouse

Minnesota is 8th best state for business, 5th largest agricultural economy in US Farmers’ markets, and contributes up to $64 million in net economic impact.

Proven Track Record

Minnesota is known nationally for effective solutions and partnerships to support healthy, prosperous communities. Nearly 2/3 of Minnesota school districts have a Farm to School program, up from 6% in 2006. That’s a tenfold increase! Over $15 million per year to local communities to increase access to healthy foods and physical activity, and reduce use of and exposure to commercial tobacco.

Why We’re Concerned

The cost of obesity and related chronic diseases is worrisome.

Hunger

  • 3.5M visits to food shelves
  • More than twice the number of Minnesotans visited food shelves in 2013 than 13 years ago.
  • 20% of families with children in Minnesota face hunger or food insecurity.

Economic Impact

  • $2.8B obesity-related healthcare costs per year
  • $17B lost productivity
  • Lost productivity and absenteeism due to unhealthy workers/year.

Health

  • 60% of deaths in Minnesota are diet-related
  • The majority of deaths are from diet-related illness, like stroke, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
  • 2:3 Minnesotans are overweight or obese
  • Many low-income Minnesotans are obese with other diet-related problems, including 1 out of 3 young children.

Healthy Food Access

  • Minnesota has fewer supermarkets per capita than most states, ranking in the bottom third of states nationwide.
  • Nearly 900K Minnesota residents including over 200,000 children, live in lower-income communities with insufficient grocery store access.

What We Need

  • Solutions that promote health and prosperity for all.
  • $11B in savings
  • By increasing access to healthy food and economic opportunity for all, we can save up to $11 billion in diet-related healthcare costs.
  • $2.9B economic gains earned per year
  • Investing in healthy food infrastructure and agriculture could yield $2.9 billion per year for a state like Minnesota.
“The groups that experience the greatest disparities in health outcomes also have experienced the greatest inequities in the social and economic conditions that are such strong predictors of health.”
– Advancing Health Equity, MDH, 2014

CITATIONS

www.hungersolutions.org/about/hunger-partners/minnesota-food-shelves/
www.health.state.mn.us/cdrr/obesity/pdfdocs/obesityplan20090112.pdf
policylinkcontent.s3.amazonaws.com/Minnesota_mappingFINAL_0.pdf
www.cdc.gov/obesity/stateprograms/fundedstates/minnesota.html
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/healthequity/ahe_leg_report_020414.pdf
www.mn2020.org/assets/uploads/article/Fertile_Ground_web.pdf
www.iatp.org/documents/farm-to-school-in-minnesota
www.health.state.mn.us/healthymnpartnership/sha/docs/1204healthofminnesota.pdf
www.hungersolutions.org/hunger-data-center/state-of-hunger-in-minnesota/
hungerfreemn.org/media-coverage/publications/snap-access-study-2010/
www.forbes.com/best-states-for-business/list/
fairfoodnetwork.org/sites/default/files/Michigan20PercentShift_FullReport.pdf
www.healthyamericans.org/assets/files/obesity2012/TFAHSept2012_MN_ObesityBrief02.pdf
www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=MINNESOTA
archive.leg.state.mn.us/docs/2008/other/080146.pdf
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpcd/do/HPCDtrendreport2011.pdf

The Minnesota Food Charter will ensure we have healthy, affordable and safe food, building a legacy of health for future generations.

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The Minnesota Food Charter Network is supported by the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the Minnesota Department of Health, University of Minnesota Extension, and the General Mills Foundation. This material was funded in part by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP – with funds received from and through the Minnesota Department of Human Services. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. The Minnesota Food Charter Network is hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute.