As a Big River Farms CSA member, you know the social, economic, and environmental benefits of choosing local food. From directly supporting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) farmers, to accessing fresh nutritious produce, to reducing the distance your food travels, eating local has a huge range of positive impacts.
Last year, our friends at The Good Acre, FairShare CSA Coalition, Lakewinds Food Co-op, and several other organizations launched the Local Food is Essential campaign. This movement began in response to the unexpected challenges facing local food producers and farmers in Minnesota and Wisconsin due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It recognizes that local food is essential to our local economy, the health of our communities, and the environment.
The Local Food is Essential campaign also acknowledges that American agriculture was founded on principles of stolen land and stolen labor. Campaign partners are acting to undo systemic racism and oppression in the food system by uplifting local food that is grown equitably, humanely, and sustainably. The campaign also acknowledges that local foods play a critical role in supporting food justice, food sovereignty, and food security.
Join the movement by taking the Eat Local Pledge - simply commit to swapping one non-local item for one item grown by a local farmer every time you go shopping or eat out. Look for local food options at nearby farmers markets or food co-ops to compliment your fresh CSA veggies from Big River Farms. When searching for a quick bite to eat or drink, think about supporting locally owned and operated cafes, restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries, many of which source their ingredients from local farmers.
“It’s important to help local farmers because they count on that income. Not all of us are tech-savvy to be able to adopt new online sales platforms, so shopping from small farmers markets and through CSA’s is really important. Small farmers protect land from development and are good for the environment with sustainable farming practices," says May Lee, co-owner of Mhonpaj's Garden and Big River Farms Operations Specialist.
Check out these resources for more ways to buy local food and support local farmers: localfoodisessential.org/resources
