Amy Stratton is the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Rural Communities Organizer. She works to find viable solutions to economic and environmental challenges rural communities face. "In the Field" is Amy's blog from her travels throughout the Midwest.
If the first cup of fair trade coffee didn't open your eyes, the economic analysis by Ken Meter at the Crossroads Resource Center sure did. Farmers in 12 West Central Minnesota Counties lose $153 million in production costs annually, while West Central consumers are purchasing over $250 million of food from outside the region, according to Meter. He was the first of many excellent presenters at Congressman Collin Peterson's "The Home Grown Economy" conference at Morris, Minnesota.
Woodbury County, Iowa, like the West Central Minnesota region, also sends money out of the region for food purchases, while their farmers take annual losses. The county Economic Development Director Rob Marquesse, is working with the community to keep the dollars local. During his presentation he explained their policies that contribute to building the local economy. They include a local food purchase policy that makes it mandatory for the local government to purchase food from local farmers and a tax rebate policy for land that is converted to organic production.
Dr. Robert King, of the University of Minnesota Department of Applied Economics, shared a study that he, and many partnering universities, are conducting to learn about consumer's attitude toward local foods. Early results show the following.
- Quality and Freshness is the top reason people buy local
- Local is defined differently by people ranging from narrow to broad
- Web sites are a great source of information for young people
- Signs at the market are also a great way to provide information about local food
Fred Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, closed the day with his presentation on market opportunities. Consumers want to make food purchases that connect with their values. Farmers have an opportunity to differentate themselves by selling not only quality food products, but to add value through trust and personal relationships.
Sandwiched in between the above presentations were panels with farmers, local food cooperatives, numerous organization exhibits and a delicious local food lunch. The day concluded with local wine and cheese sampling.
Here's more information on local food from organizations represented at the conference.
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
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