Farmers' Market Food Hubs and the Minnesota Foodshed Connecting Farmers to Buyers

Register for the Zoom meeting here.

Join in on the 23rd as we learn about two fantastic initiatives here in Minnesota to expand the capacity of local food systems by increasing farmer’s access to more markets (and profitability) and buyer’s access to more fresh, locally produced food … so we can all eat better and support our local farmers at home and at our favorite restaurants.

Sara George, from Renewing the Countryside and Kathy Zeman from the MN Farmers' Market Association will introduce you to farmers’ markets as food hubs. A farmers’ market food hub works in both the retail and wholesale space, simultaneously. Licensed by the MN Dept. of Ag, the hub buys product from its vendors, charges a markup on the products to offset costs (utilizing an online sales platform), then sells those products, with delivery options. To date, hubs have increased profitability for farmers and attracted new shoppers to purchasing direct from local farmers.

Claudine Arndt from MN Farmers Union will introduce the Minnesota Foodshed, a new online platform designed to help farmers and wholesale buyers connect easily, learn how to work with one another successfully, and buy and sell more local food. It is a “dating site for farmers and wholesale buyers” - and the newest membership benefit offered from MFU.

This event is hosted by the Twin Cities Metro Growers Network, a collaboration between SFA and the University of Minnesota Extension.