Community Food Systems

IATP's Community Food Systems program is helping revitalize local economies, give farmers stable and predictable income through the buying power of institutions, like school districts and hospitals, and get fresh and healthy local food to students and communities. We are currently developing a model project for Farm to Head Start purchasing to put good food into the hands of underserved young children, because lifelong learning requires lifelong healthy eating. 

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Farm to School Grant Evaluation

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Farm to School Grants allocated nearly $300,000 to Minnesota schools for local food purchases in 2021-22, awarding 27 total Farm to School grants. This evaluation report covers economic impact, grant administration, grantee successes and challenges.

Planting the Seeds: A Farm to in-home Early Care Pilot Case Study

Building on a long-standing partnership and a bedrock vision of a truly community-based food system, in 2020 the Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) launched a new Farm to in-home Early Care initiative on the East side of St. Paul.

[WATCH] IATP: Transforming food systems for people & the planet

Since the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's founding in 1986, we have fought alongside allies for food systems that work for people and the planet. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota with offices in Washington, D.C. and Berlin, Germany, IATP brings together policy experts united by a shared passion for healthy, just and resilient food systems.
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