Minneapolis City Council cheerleads local foods

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The Minneapolis City Council is making it official. They're on board with local food. The body recently adopted a resolution recognizing the value of local foods to the city and creating a task force to implement recommendations presented in a report prepared by the Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Planning.

The report, called "Homegrown Minneapolis," includes six major recommendations for ways the city can "support and expand the local food system." Among them: seeking to get food stamps accepted at all farmers' markets, launching citywide composting, providing incentives for local businesses to emphasize local agriculture, and outreach to marginalized and underserved communities.

Several related projects are already getting off the ground as a result of the partnerships made during preparation of the report, including preparation of a school garden policy in Minneapolis public schools, exploration of the possibility of using city land for community gardens, a youth gardening project in North Minneapolis, and gardens at local fire stations.