MANKATO — A grant is connecting food from local farmers to underserved communities in south-central Minnesota.
South Central MN Food Recovery, Wooden Spoon and the Living Earth Center partnered with the Region Nine Development Commission to source and distribute the food. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Grant, or LFPA, has contributed $91,000 in funding to the effort, according to a release.
For the food recovery organization, funds have been used to purchase products from farmers who have extra and wouldn’t be able to sell them through normal channels. The 180 dozen eggs and 70 turkeys so far have been converted into ready-made meals and given to food shelves in the region.
“We are thrilled to be part of such an important public investment,” said Natasha Frost, who helps manage South Central MN Food Recovery.
“We appreciate the financial investment in underserved farmers and look forward to using these local products to supplement meals distributed for free to those in need.”
Wooden Spoon plans to use the funding to increase local fruits and vegetable options at Head Start programs, the release states. The Living Earth Center, meanwhile, will use funding to support its Blue Earth County Farm and Emerging Growers programs.
The farm grows and donates produce to local organizations including Echo Food Shelf, CADA House, and Mankato Youth Place. Emerging Growers is a program offering space, tools and mentorship to aspiring farmers who don’t otherwise have access to land.
Partnerships will continue through September 2025, according to the release.