- Campuses :
- Twin Cities
- Crookston
- Duluth
- Morris
- Rochester
- Other Locations
Local Food
A sustainable food supply includes a local food supply. Rising energy costs, concern for the environment, food security issues, and a desire to revitalize rural communities are all contributing to interest in local food. The resources in this section are intended to give farmers and food buyers they information they need to build local food systems.
What is "Local?" We don't have one single definition. Some research has suggested that sourcing food within 12 miles from home is ideal in terms of reducing carbon emissions. Farmers' markets most typically draw from a circle of 50 miles radius. The "100-mile diet" has received some media coverage. National legislation has placed a limit of 275 miles on local food. Food systems are very complex. For a more in-depth discussion of how food systems at different scales interact, see "Tiers of the Food System" (PDF, 143 kB).
