Homegrown Minneapolis is a citywide initiative expanding our community’s ability to grow, process, distribute, eat and compost more healthy, sustainable, locally grown foods.
Under the leadership of Mayor R.T. Rybak, the Minneapolis Health Department, and the Minneapolis Sustainability Office, Homegrown Minneapolis is bringing together key partners from local government, area businesses, community organizations, non-profits, and residents to build a healthy, local food system.
Why support Homegrown Minneapolis?
Homegrown Minneapolis is about creating a local, healthy, and sustainable food supply that will positively impact the City and region’s:
- Economy: A local food system supports small farms and local jobs, creates new business opportunities, and encourages the re-circulation of financial capital within the city. More than $800 million is spent each year on food purchases in Minneapolis and much of it is currently produced outside of the city and state.
- Health: Increasing consumption of healthy foods contributes to improved nutrition and reduced levels of obesity and other chronic diseases. Research shows that 85 percent of adult Minnesotans fail to eat enough fruits and vegetables to meet daily recommendations. Approximately half of Minneapolis residents are overweight. In 2008, total U.S. obesity-related medical spending reached $147 billion and the average medical cost for obese individuals exceeded costs for normal weight individuals by $1,429 or about 42 percent in 2006.
- Food Security: The ability for residents to grow, process sell and easily obtain a consistent, adequate supply of fresh, sustainably grown, local foods can empower families and communities to be more self-sufficient. A local food system is also typically less vulnerable to disruptions due to its smaller scale and decentralized setup.
- Environment: Producing and buying sustainably grown, local food can improve air, water and soil quality and decrease pollution by reducing the amount of transportation and packaging required to bring our food from farm to table. Local foods grown in a sustainable manner can also reduce chemical and water usage.
- Social Connectedness: A local food system enhances community cohesion and encourages individuals to share resources in order to provide for the collective needs of their neighbors and the community as a whole.
- Food Safety: Food grown locally can be processed and distributed by small- and mid-size operations where careful attention can be paid to food quality and safety measures.
Last updated May. 7, 2013