Local Food Advisory Committee
The intent of this advisory committee is to provide a non-adversarial setting where issues relating to local food can be raised and discussed, information can be shared and problem-solving between Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Health, and the local food community can take place.
Introducing the Local Food Advisory Committee:
Presentation (PDF, 1.8 Mb)
Mission and Scope (PDF, 102 kb)
Communications & Outreach Capacity (PDF, 183 kb)
Submit a question, comment, or complaint to the Committee
If you have a concern or you've spotted an issue in some way that local food production, distribution, and marketing interact with state regulations, please send us a note on this Comment Form
...Or, contact a staff person directly:
Wayne Martin, U of MN Extension. marti067@umn.edu; 612-625-6224
Jane Jewett, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture. jewet006@umn.edu; 218-845-2832
Proceedings of the Local Food Advisory Committee
Regular Meeting, January 31, 2020
Regular Meeting, April 18, 2019
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Oilseed Pressing On-Farm
- Prairie Horizons Farm’s Beef Livers
- Sprouts & Microgreens
- Donation of Wild Game
- Pop-Up Events
- “Lemonade Stand” Bill
Regular Meeting, December 14, 2018
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Retail Meat Exemption
- Meat Collectives
- Shell Eggs and Highly Susceptible Populations
- Two Journal Articles about Vendor Behavior and Presence of Indicator Organisms at Pennsylvania Farmers’ Markets
- Raw Milk Court Case & Implications for Raw Milk Sales
- First Food Innovation Team Case
- Wholesale Produce Dealer Program
Regular Meeting, September 17, 2018
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Mythology of Local Food: Beliefs that it is Not Safe, Not Legal
- Food Regulatory Training for Local Food Leaders in Counties
- 2019 Legislative Session
- New MDA Website
- Honey and Maple Syrup Sales
- Food Donation
- Food Code
- Variances from Food Code
- Hemp Products in Food
- Food Innovation Team
Regular Meeting, June 20, 2018
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Farm to School: Dismantling Barriers to Local Food
- Custom-Exempt Meat Sales on Facebook
- Backhaul Project
- Food | Ag | Ideas Week
- FSMA Produce Safety Rule
- MDA Updates
- Cottage Food Group
- Minnesota Food Code
- Food Innovation Team
- Uptown Locavore Situation
Regular Meeting, October 16, 2017
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Regulatory Q & A
(includes:)
Fruit juices under Cottage Food Law
Celery juice powder in meat
Cottage Food Law: crossing state lines - Institutional Demand for Clean Label Products
- The Good Acre
- RSDPs Backhaul Project
- FSMA Produce Safety Program
- Pet Treats as Cottage Food
- Food Donation Document
Regular Meeting, July 13, 2017
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Food Licensing Wizard
- Food Donations for Food Shelves and Feeding Sites
- MDA Dairy & Meat Inspection Update
- Project Sweetie Pie
- MDH Legislative Update
- MDA Legislative Update
- Surveys of Food & Beverage Entrepreneurs
- Regulatory Q & A
(includes:)
Cottage Food sampling at farmers’ market
Alcohol Guidelines
Back-Hauling Project
Special Event Food Stands
Regular Meeting, April 13, 2017
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- The Food Group & MN Food Association
- Sustainable Farming Association
- Foodborne Illness as Result of Agritourism
- Foodborne Illness from Non-Inspected Meat
- Farm to School Leadership Team & Legislative Proposals
- Wholesale Produce Dealer Licensing
- MDA Dairy & Meat Inspections Update
Presentation by Jeff Bender, U of MN:
Agritourism Benefits and Challenges (PDF)
Presentation by Nikki Neeser, MDA:
Outbreaks Associated with Non-Inspected Meat (PDF)
Regular Meeting, December 12, 2016
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- MDA Dairy & Meat Division Update
- Regulators Met with Grow North
- Local Produce in Day-Care Centers
- Approved Source of Water
- Local Food Donations to Food Shelves
- Grant Applications Submitted
- Innovation Group in MDA
Regular Meeting, September 30, 2016
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- GreenhouseMN
- FEAST Local Food Network
- Midwest Pantry
- Grow North
- Minnesota Food Code Update
- MDA Update
- Legislative Proposals
- Fact Sheet Update
- Bush Grant Priorities
- Links to Organizations & Resources
Regular Meeting, June 27, 2016
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of topics:
- Bush Grant “Portable Document”
- Good Food Access Fund
- Government IT Symposium
- Healthy Food Safe Food
- Wabasha Farmers Market
- Cottage Foods
- The Good Acre
- MN Department of Agriculture Update
Regular Meeting, March 8, 2016
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Wabasha Farmers’ Market
- Update on Local Food Fact Sheets for Farmers & Food Entrepreneurs
- Bush Grant Update
- School Use of School Garden Produce
- Re-Organization within Minnesota Department of Agriculture
- FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety
- MDA Dairy & Meat Inspections Updates
- Raw Milk Lawsuit
- Funding for LFAC
- Cottage Food Law Implementation
Regular Meeting, December 11, 2015
Meeting Notes (PDF)
List of Topics:
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture Update
- Metro Food Access Network
- Good Food Access Fund
- Minnesota Food Code
- Cottage Food Law
- Shared Commercial Kitchens & Plan Review
- Update on Bush Community Innovation Grant
Regular Meeting, September 10, 2015
Meeting Notes (PDF, 181 kb)
List of topics:
- Minnesota Food Charter
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture Update
- Bush Grant Update
- Cottage Food Law
- Local Food Sales Fact Sheets
- Bison processing, processing exemptions across borders
- Cider and fruit juice production and marketing
Regular Meeting, May 22, 2015
Meeting Notes (PDF, 187 kb)
List of topics:
- Approved water source for food manufacturing and food service
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture Legislative update
- Cottage Food Law
- Fact Sheets for Farmers’ Market Vendors
- Bush Foundation Community Innovation Grant
- Drying of Food, Especially Mushrooms
- Agritourism
Regular Meeting, February 12, 2015
Meeting Notes (PDF, 145 kb)
List of topics:
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture Update
- Crow River Ketchup Launched
- Bush Foundation Community Innovation Grant
- Cottage Food Legislation
- Misbranding & Recalls
- Sales of Milled Grain
Regular Meeting, December 12, 2014
Meeting Notes (PDF, 154 kb)
List of topics:
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture Update
- On-Farm Food Events: Licensing Questions
- Water Sources
- Farmers’ Market Questions
- Cottage Food Law
- Food Code Revision
- Farm-to-School
- Other Legislative Efforts
Regular Meeting, September 5, 2014
Meeting Notes (PDF, 181 kb)
List of topics:
- On-Farm Food Service
- Food Vendor Scenarios
- Ketchup Production Example
- Potential for Changes to Licensing Process
- Meat Inspections Budgetary Needs
Meat Inspections Meeting & Information; September 3, 2014
Map of Equal-To Inspected Plants in MN, 2014 (PDF, 213 kb)
Meat & Poultry Inspection: Performance Measures, Budget Projections and Needs (PDF, 525 kb)
Meat & Poultry Inspection Needs Meeting Notes, Sept. 3, 2014(PDF, 14 kb)
Livestock Producer Survey Results, Sept. 15, 2014 (PDF, 153 kb)
Regular Meeting, May 13, 2014
Meeting Notes (PDF, 182 kb)
List of topics:
- Recap of Farmers' Market Sampling Legislation
- Local Food Processing & Regulations
- Risk-Based Analysis of Food Safety
- National-Level Food Safety Discussions
- Cottage Industry Regulations
- Local Foods Festival, "FEAST" Show in Rochester, MN in November 2014
- Licensiong Requirements for Farmer Collaborations, such as Multi-Farm CSAs
- Benefits of Licensing
- Product Labeling
- Poultry Processing
Food Safety Risk Analysis
PDF, 240 kb; Dr. Fernando Sampedro, Department of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Minnesota
A Guide to Regulations for Local Food Entrepreneurs
PDF, 2.4 Mb; Megan O'Hara, Endowed Chair in Agricultural Systems, University of Minnesota
Archive of Meeting Notes & Documents
Meeting Notes, 01/07/14 (PDF, 151 kb)
Meeting Notes, 12/12/13 (PDF, 136 kb)
Meeting Notes, 9/06/13 (PDF, 201 kb)
Steering Committee Meeting Notes, 7/15/13 (docx, 17 kb)
Action Items, 5/24/13 (docx, 16 kb)
Meeting Notes, 5/24/13 (docx, 27 kb)
Meeting Agenda for 5/24/13 (docx, 18 kb)
Listening Session Notes, 2/16/13 (docx, 17 kb)
Meeting Notes, 1/30/13 (docx, 32 kb)
Local Food Advisory Committee Members:
Homegrown Minneapolis
MN Association of Meat Processors
MN Department of Agriculture
MN Department of Health
Minnesota Grown
MN Farmers Market Association
MN Farmers Union
MN Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
Olmsted County Public Health
Renewing the Countryside
Sustainable Farming Association
U of MN Extension
U of MN Meat Science
Steering Sub-Committee:
Wayne Martin, U of MN Extension. marti067@umn.edu
Jane Jewett, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture. jewet006@umn.edu
Jan Joannides, Renewing the Countryside. jan@rtcinfo.org
Mike Lilja, Sustainable Farming Association, mlilja@usinternet.com
Kathy Zeman, MN Farmers Market Association. kzeman@mfma.org
Ryan Cox, Meat Science Program, U of MN. ryancox@umn.edu
Jennifer Stephes, MDA-Dairy & Food Inspection Division. jennifer.stephes@state.mn.us
Nicole Neeser, MDA-Dairy & Food Inspection Division. nicole.neeser@state.mn.us