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Red Wing Region Local Foods Council
The Experiment in Rural Cooperation (ERC) is the
University of Minnesota Southeast Regional Sustainable
Development Partnership (SE RSDP). The originating board
of citizens named the organization the “Experiment in Rural
Cooperation” to signify that the structure of our work—creating
meaningful collaborations between community and University
partners—and our projects to further sustainable development
are forward-thinking experiments.
ERC encompasses the Mississippi River Blufflands and the Rochester Plateau—an area that includes
Goodhue, Wabasha, Winona, Houston, Olmsted, Fillmore, Dodge and Mower counties, and portions of
Rice, Steele and Freeborn counties. The Minnesota Legislature provides funds to the University of
Minnesota to promote sustainable development in agriculture, natural resources, tourism and community
vitality through five Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDPs) throughout the state.
Over the past decade, all of the RSDPs have supported local food systems projects in each of the
regions. With the help of U of M Extension, we brought on a statewide staff person this past year to take
stock of what is happening in the local foods movement all over the state and consider how the
University can best support these efforts. Here’s an update on Maggi Adamek’s work so far:
Local Foods Learning Day - In November, the RSDPs sponsored a Local Foods Learning Summit to
introduce concepts, tools and case studies to move local foods work forward and initiate development of
a statewide learning community and network among RSDP regions.
Regional Strategic Planning on Local Foods - In the last year, the RSDP has sponsored five strategic
planning processes across Minnesota to develop regional five-year plans to strengthen local food systems
in rural Minnesota.
University of Minnesota Local Foods Task Force - April 10 marked the inauguration of the UM Local
Foods Task Force sponsored by Extension, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Healthy
Foods/Healthy Lives Institute, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and the
RSDPs. The Task Force will increase the availability of local foods throughout the University and
develop strategic priorities to develop local foods infrastructure.
Local Foods Funding and Mapping - RSDP has studied the amount, focus and impact of foundation
investment in local foods in Minnesota for the last five years with the intent of further refining
philanthropic strategies and increasing investment in building local foods infrastructure. We are also
using GIS to map the ‘state of the state’ of Minnesota’s local food systems.
Minnesota Commission on Community Food Systems - RSDPs in collaboration with the Institute for
Agriculture and Trade Policy are in the preliminary stages of developing a multi-sector commission to
create a long-term conceptual framework for local foods in Minnesota.
Philanthropy in the Middle: Raising Sustainable Capital for Local Food Systems - The RSDPs
received a $150,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation to explore the feasibility of a national
philanthropic cooperative of natural products companies interested in coordinated, strategic grant-making
around local foods.
Another RSDP statewide project is the UM Local Foods Partnership online database (www.
localfoods.umn.edu). This growing database is a way to increase awareness of and connect with
Minnesota farmers growing food for people. Currently, ERC is helping the Citizens for a Healthy Dodge
County identify and add Dodge County local foods partners.
To learn more about sustainability in food systems and how you can be a part of this vital movement,
see ERC’s presentation prepared for RE-fest in Austin on September 20 at https://netfiles.umn.
edu/users/tegtm003/www/REfest-EMEIER-LFS-092008.ppt.
To learn more about ERC’s projects and RSDP projects across the state, visit http://aesweb.coafes.
umn.edu/RSDPBoard and www.regionalpartnerships.umn.edu.
The Experiment in Rural Cooperation, Erin Meier, Director
