Contact: Terry VanDerPol or Audrey Arner, LSP, 320-269-2105

7/17/01
MONTEVIDEO, Minn—Are you a western Minnesota farmer who wants to get more value out of your production by marketing straight to consumers or institutions in the region? Then call 320-269-2105 or e-mail tlvdp@landstewardshipproject.org soon to participate in a special survey being conducted by the "Pride of the Prairie" program. This new local foods initiative is seeking information on producers and potential producers of "field to fork" farm products.

"This short survey will be an easy way for local farmers to inform us about their interest in selling direct to consumers and developing local institutional markets," said Terry VanDerPol of the Land Stewardship Project. "We want to cast a wide net and get in touch with as many farmers as possible who are marketing food directly to consumers, or who are interested in starting that type of farming enterprise."

The farmer survey will be followed up with a polling of local consumers to determine what aspects of food production and marketing are important to them.

This survey is just one of the initiatives of Pride of the Prairie, which was launched this spring in an attempt to create a system where food from local farms routinely makes it onto the tables of citizens in the Upper Minnesota River Valley. This initiative will create and distribute widely (both in print and via the Internet) an extensive directory of local food producers and processors. In addition, Pride of the Prairie will work with the University of Minnesota-Morris to provide local foods on the college's menu. Finally, the initiative will hold community discussions and raise awareness about the importance of directly supporting local farmers.

"Studies show that local food systems are good for farmers, consumers and the local economy," said Bev Struxness, a Milan area farmer and member of the West Central Regional Sustainable Development Board. "In fact, a local food system provides a kind of vitality that truly supports and benefits everyone in rural communities."

Pride of the Prairie recently received funding and collaborative support from the West Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership. Others collaborating on the project are the Land Stewardship Project, West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota-Morris, as well as other partners and interested citizens.

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