IATP’s Community Food Systems program strives to build vibrant community-based food systems that give all people access to sufficient, safe, culturally appropriate and nutritious food while also developing local food supply chains that will allow small- to mid-scale farmers to access a variety of new markets. We envision decentralized, local food systems that are accountable to, and largely controlled by, the community members who depend on them, where food is produced and distributed in a manner that builds equity, justice, and resiliency in policy and practice.
Learn more about our work.
Farm to School Spotlights
These spotlights lift up the creative ways schools are incorporating local Minnesota Farm to School foods into their menus and connecting their students with where our food comes from. From developing more culturally-responsive recipes to building connections with emerging farmers, purchasing game-changing kitchen equipment to connecting with classroom educational activities, these schools and farmers they purchase from share practical tips and inspiring stories of how they have made Farm to School work for their communities. Read all three here.
Agroecology & Community Food Systems
Farm to School and Early Care represents one concrete way to support the implementation of agroecological principles locally. These programs tie directly to the agroecological principles of promoting a circular economy, working to connect producers and consumers, and supporting local producers.