How can I, as a consumer, support sustainable agriculture?

Eat local.

Read about how eating local is good for you, your community, and your environment at Why Eat Local?  Find detailed information about buying food from your local farmers in MISA's publication, "Local Food: Where to Find It, How to Buy It."

Buy direct from farmers.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has a "Minnesota Grown" labeling program. Farmers pay a nominal annual fee to use the label and get a listing in the "Minnesota Grown" directory.  The directory includes a wide range of products, from berries to bison meat. You can download the directory from the website, or there is an online form to order the print version, or contact Brian Erickson (651-296-4939) to request a copy of the directory.

The Land Stewardship Project website features a “Food and Farm Connection” section with links to several farmer directories and to organizations that are involved in connecting farmers and consumers. 

Join a CSA farm (Community Supported Agriculture).

This is a way to make a season-long connection to the farm that supplies your vegetables.  CSAs sell "subscriptions" or "shares."  People pay for a share of garden produce at the start of the season, and then receive weekly containers of vegetables throughout the growing season. You can find a CSA Directory on the Land Stewardship Project website.  Call 651-653-0618 or e-mail: lspwbl@landstewardshipproject.org to request a print copy.

Buy from farmer cooperatives.

These are farmer groups that market vegetables, fruits, grains, cheese, meats, honey, dairy products, and specialty products direct to consumers.  Some of the cooperatives prefer to work with buying clubs rather than individuals.  Buying clubs are not difficult to arrange; they can be just a few friends or neighbors getting together to place a group order.  Orders can be placed by telephone or online.

Farmer cooperatives active in Minnesota include:

• Whole Farm Co-op
• Southeast Minnesota Food Network
• Organic Valley 
• PastureLand

Join an organization that promotes farmer-to-consumer connections.

All of MISA’s Partner Organizations do this in one way or another, and all of them welcome both farmers and non-farmers as members.  Visit our list of Sustainability Organizations for more opportunities to become connected to the sustainable agriculture community, in Minnesota and nationwide.

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