Minnesota lawmakers seek funding for local food program

Minnesota lawmakers are considering state funding for a program that buys food from small farms and provides it to people facing food insecurity. This discussion comes after federal funds were stopped, impacting local growers and a nonprofit organization in Rochester. At a recent hearing, Amanda Nigon-Crowley, executive director of The Village Agricultural Cooperative, explained how the federal funding freeze hurt farmers and led to layoffs at her nonprofit. Last year, the Minnesota Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) helped farmers secure money for land and seeds. In January 2025, funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was frozen. This left The Village Agricultural Cooperative without the $82,500 it had spent to purchase produce for Channel One Food Bank. The food bank had planned to spend $125,000 on local food purchases for the current fiscal year. State Representative Andy Smith emphasized the need for state intervention. Organizations like Channel One Food Bank rely on this funding to help serve people in 16 counties across Southern Minnesota and Southwest Wisconsin. For the 2024 budget year, $3.5 million was expected to support these local food purchases. Nigon-Crowley mentioned that the funding gives farmers more stability and the opportunity to grow their businesses, especially since many farmers are nearing retirement. The specifics of the state bill are still being finalized, and funding amounts have not been determined. Andrea Vaubel, from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, noted that over 180 farms are affected by the funding loss. She indicated that this number might actually be higher, as some affected farms operate as aggregates. While funding for LFPA was not included in Governor Tim Walz's proposed budget, there is hope for future state support for local food purchasing.