During the Cooperative Partners meeting on March 1, 2021, attendees participated in Asset Mapping activities. These activities were the first step in gathering knowledge and ideas from the Cooperative Partners to complement the background research being led by Dr. Hikaru Peterson’s team.
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Asset mapping goals
- Cultivate an inclusive and comprehensive foundation in the first year of the grant.
- Identify opportunities for contracting with community organizations in spring/summer 2021 for preliminary engagement.
Questions discussed
- Existing work: What are you already doing that is relevant to this research? What’s on the horizon for next year?
- Project support: How can you/your organization support this research project?
- Resource need: How could the partnership support you/your organization? (i.e., funding, data to gather, etc.)
- Who else: Who do you know that has important insights and isn’t here? Who do you know with connections to others with important insights?
Themes from preliminary asset mapping
- Partners have existing communications, outreach, network/membership assets
- Be clear on asks going forward with the project: members can engage boards
- Capacity of partners is limited for much additional engagement
- Funding support could increase partner capacity if available/needed
- Important to maintain connection to farmers; center “why” and “who” of the project. Include BIPOC partners/organizations to better center equity in project process and outcomes
- Partners have existing projects and programs that are related. We should be intentional about aligning, not duplicating efforts – and stay focused on purpose. Multiple story mapping, data gathering projects getting underway – explore linkages
- Consider exploring additional funding opportunities – leverage grant funding
- The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has identified ~$20,000 in MDA funding that could be activated for preliminary engagement to further asset mapping.
- Consider additional connections
- Private partners
- Institutions, wholesalers as possible buyers
- University of Minnesota, other education/research institutions
- Banks and financial institutions
- National context and success stories will be helpful – how are other states building strong local/regional food and ag markets? What can we learn from them?
Specific resource needs
- Connecting with farmers to make sure that reports are relevant and helpful
- Data to support the Minnesota Grown program
- Provide data gaps between local and domestic markets
- Ideas from partners
- Using existing bridges to lift efforts
- Organization that can lead/support the work. Some partners may be able to support efforts, but cannot provide funds, staff etc.
- Updated info to post on Facebook/social media channels
- Funding for the continuation/expansion of Minnesota Farmers Union’s Minnesota Foodshed
Specific research needs
- Connections with farmers (to test the relevancy of work)
- Project leadership
- Funding to launch projects/supporting staff time
- Sharing information on how to use existing resources to play a role in the project
- Data (specifically on the impact of Produce Safety Rule from a grower’s perspective)
- Making efforts not to duplicate existing work (particularly surrounding food safety, this can create confusion for farmers)
- Partnering with existing outreach
Other organizations to include in the project
- Podcasts/informal chats (such as the Land Stewardship Project or Sustainable Farming Association) are potential channels for engagement
- Land O’ Lakes, CoBank, AgCountry, AgriBank, other large private partners, big foundations
- Sysco Foods
- Meat processors
- Courtney Bergey Swanson from CEDA (Community and Economic Development Associates)
- Fallon Ryan from Sprout MN
- MN 350
- Greater Minnesota Council of Churches
- DEED (Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development) and other organizations that can leverage funding
- Trade associations
- Chambers of commerce
- Entrepreneurs
- Institutions who purchase products
- Emerging Farmers Working Group
|
Organization |
Existing Work |
Project Support |
Resource Need |
|
Center for Farm Financial Management |
Building & testing a market channel analysis Partnership with other groups in U.S. doing this work |
Developing the tool with small farms/usability in mind Providing data once collected about the results |
Connections with farmers to test relevancy of reports |
|
Central Minnesota Young Farmers Coalition |
Outreach to young or beginning farmers to build community knowledge of current farmer experience |
No response |
No response |
|
Federal Reserve – Minneapolis, District 9 |
Access to financial data & banking industry data Research related to the agricultural industry & banking Outreach & discussions with community banks across the upper Midwest Experience in the farming sector (row crops & cattle) |
Providing data related to the overall financial sector, detailed financial data for rural areas Surveying to access bank-level data that can inform us about local market areas & economies Assisting with research projects |
No response |
|
Latino Economic Development Center/Cala Farm |
Experience working with different farm organizations, farmers, UMN Extension, etc. through the regenerative farming program |
No response |
No response |
|
Minnesota Department of Agriculture (Ag Marketing Team, Produce Safety Program) |
Networks: - Farmers & wholesalers (to learn about operations/teach about Produce Safety Rule) - Local food promotion organizations nationwide (to enhance MN Grown) - North Central Region FSMA networks - Farm to School connections Working with farms & businesses on marketing at all levels Attending marketing events & setting up meetings with buyers & sellers |
Providing background knowledge & research assistance regarding MN Grown program Publicizing results & project details to respective websites Contracting/procurement for engagement, promotion etc. Expanded markets funding |
Providing data gaps between local & regional markets Ideas from partners, using existing bridges to lift up current efforts |
|
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) |
Supporting healthy eating initiatives at farmers markets Exploring produce "Rx" programs in the future |
Partnership with organizations (hunger orgs, healthcare orgs, etc.) to implement healthy eating guidelines - Could use "buy local" guideline to direct partners to local sources |
Project leadership – MDH's mission is focused on health so they can support the project but not directly fund a lot of staff time |
|
Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA) |
Sharing info via MFMA’s Facebook posts, website, & network |
Sharing information with network of MFMA members Providing feedback from MFMA members |
Updated information for posting via Facebook & website |
|
Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) / Minnesota Cooks |
Coordinating a USDA Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP) grant through National Farmers Union & coordinating with the MDA & UMN Extension Focus on Produce Safety Alliance training & translation Connections with chef/restaurant through Minnesota Cooks, wholesale buyers (including distillers and brewers), & ability to share information with network Opening a farm driven restaurant spring 2021 to source exclusively/directly from MN farmers |
Engaging with MFU & MN Cooks network Data collection from farmers, chefs, distillers, brewers, etc. |
Funding for MFU’s Minnesota Foodshed & its expansion Reviewing MFU’s MN Foodshed to make sure it is aligned with food safety regulations/state law Identifying resources to facilitate farmer/wholesale buyer relationships Providing updated info to share with network |
|
Minnesota Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association |
Creating spaces for fruit & vegetable growers to share information Bringing in groups like MN Grown to talk to farmers Working with farmers to educate them on the Food Safety Modernization Act & exemptions |
Publicizing results & project details on website Providing space to talk to fruit & vegetable farmers in Minnesota |
Providing specific next action steps |
|
Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) |
Partnering with MDA on MN Grown Program Holding the Retailer of the Year Contest |
Proving support & acting as a link to the broader MGA network |
No response |
|
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) |
Co-coordinator of Local Food Advisory Committee; chair of Food Innovation Team Heavily involved in food regulations |
No response |
No response |
|
Project Sweetie Pie |
HF 784 legislation for land acquisition & permanency for farmers of African/African American descent – procuring market share The Green New Deal task force – how does this interface those involved in solar farms & ag tourism Publishing press (e.g., food farm histories, news articles) Story Mapping to register trees that individuals have planted in an effort to expand urban reforestation |
No response |
No response |
|
Renewing the Countryside (RTC) |
Possible future project with Purdue University that would complement this work |
Staying in contact regarding research questions Helping network to others working in this space |
Supporting staff time if a bigger lift is needed beyond these meetings |
|
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) |
AmeriCorps VISTA program, capacity building to understand needs & develop action plan Growing Peer Networks for food producers & makers Hybrid approach to FEAST! Local Food Market Place Growing our ‘Grow A Farmer Fund’ to increase use of available dollars |
Training opportunities to support small scale farmers Funding round to support targeted audiences identified in this work |
Help us find funding to launch new programs Sharing information & how we can play a role through funding, entrepreneurship, program development |
|
SMIF/ RTC/ SFA/ MFMA AmeriCorps VISTA Collaboration |
Developing a survey for farmers’ markets to fill the gap of financial reporting from past MDA surveys connected to local food sheds James Harren & Maeve Mallozzi-Kelly – VISTAs working in southeast that will be conducting research on farmers markets & small/mid-sized producers Food Business Assessment Work Developing regional food leader committee |
Contributing on research efforts Sharing findings of related research |
No response |
|
Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) |
Providing farmer to farmer networking, throughout existing programs, events, & projects |
Access to network communications to disseminate information. Providing a network of farmers who can help to inform the project – Jerry Ford acting as a conduit |
Allotting already packed staff time to the work |
|
University of Minnesota Extension (UMN) – Horticulture/ Food Safety |
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) training & education including materials in other languages to support understanding of FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) On farm visits & technical assistance to farmers to help them understand the FSMA PSR that could pair with research on impacts/needs USDA FSOP project in collaboration with Michigan State University related to water quality & water testing for the FSMA PSR (3-year project through 2023); includes water testing on farm – Annalisa Hultberg Farm to school leadership team & new project proposals by MISA to focus on “scaling up” farmers for wholesale. Lots of interest in this area which requires training on food safety & general postharvest handling work |
No response |
No response |
|
University of Minnesota Research |
Researching what MN has historically been & what other states are doing Finding ways to quantify the impact of FSMA on MN farmers |
No response |
No response |
|
USDA NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) |
Collecting data via 2020 Local Foods Marketing Practices Survey that will provide benchmark National data for comparison with this Team’s efforts |
Reviewing questionnaire content & data collection methodology |
No response |
|
Compeer Financial |
Emerging Markets Program: Providing credit & business support to farmers & ranchers operating in the local/regional food system Grant program for farmers markets & vendors |
Connecting ag lenders to this project |
No response |
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