Forum on Local Foods & Sustainable Farming

Press Release from Washington County.

A free public forum on the potential for increasing the production of fresh, local fruits and vegetables in Washington County will be held at the Bayport Public Library. The co-sponsors for this event are the Washington County Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP), Land Stewardship Project and the Minnesota Food Association.

This public meeting will start out with a light supper of local foods shared with a group of Washington County farmers who currently grow produce in the region. Reservations are required by June 20. RSVP by e-mailing danaj@landstewardshipproject.org.

The program will include two informal panel discussions with audience questions and comments encouraged.  A vision of what Washington County would look like if there were more fruit and vegetable production will be explored. Panelists will discuss what could be done to encourage and support more local food production and what steps are necessary for landowners and farmers to create mutually beneficial leasing arrangements that result in good land stewardship as well as profitable crop yields. New kinds of farmer-land owner relationships and marketing and distribution systems will be explored.

During the past year, Land Stewardship Project has partnered with Living Healthy in Washington County to increase citizen access to nutritious foods, specifically fruits and vegetables. Washington County’s efforts have been part of the Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Program to improve health and reduce health care costs