Buy Fresh Buy Local St. Croix River Valley

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About Buy Fresh Buy Local

Buy Fresh Buy Local ® (BFBL) St. Croix River Valley is

A BRAND that identifies the St. Croix River Valley region and its abundant supply of local, sustainable, healthy foods.
A CHAPTER with partners engaged in the production, distribution and retail sales of local food products and partner organizations, agencies and individuals that support the development of a community-based food system.
A CAMPAIGN to promote local markets for local growers, help consumers find local products and educate the community about the economic and environmental benefits of local food.

The St. Croix River Valley Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapter Structure

A Local Partner of the St. Croix River Valley Buy Fresh Buy Local chapter is a farm, a small scale processor utilizing local farm products, a farm stand, farmers’ market, or a retail food business, such as a restaurant, food cooperative, or locally owned retail grocery store selling local products. Partners can also be organizations, government agencies, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus and individuals (called “Vocal Locals”) who endorse the chapter goals and participate in chapter activities.

A Steering Committee, composed of farmers, other market partners and collaborating organizations (Land Stewardship Project, Minnesota Food Association, Women’s Environmental Institute, West Wisconsin Land Trust, St. Croix Institute for Sustainable Development, U.W. Extension) helps guide the activities of the Chapter.

Geographic Region

The Chapter includes partners in or near the land that drains to the St. Croix River. The region includes three counties in Minnesota (Pine, Chisago and Washington) and four in Wisconsin (Burnett, Polk, St. Croix and Pierce) that border the St. Croix River. Organizations or individuals physically outside the region but with food system interests in the St. Croix River Valley are welcome to become partners.

Structure of Buy Fresh Buy Local

The St. Croix River Valley Chapter is one of 74 Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters in the United States coordinated by the national Food Routes Network and its regional chapter affiliates. It was organized in 2007 by Land Stewardship Project, which is also the regional chapter affiliate for the St. Croix River Valley, the Red River Valley and the Upper Minnesota River Valley chapters.

The Southern Wisconsin BFBL chapter is a sister chapter near Madison. Food Routes provides communications tools, organizing support and marketing resources to local chapters to create their own unique, community-based local food campaigns. The BFBL label is a registered trademark owned by Food Routes.

All local chapters pay a yearly fee of $500 to Food Routes and the Regional Chapter Affiliate pays $1,000. Each must sign on to the by-laws (called the master agreement) and also sign a chapter memorandum of agreement with Food Routes that outlines the chapter work plan and how it will meet the Food Routes reporting requirements.

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