We believe everyone deserves access to nutritious and locally sourced foods, and we know from experience that this access is made possible in part by collaborative relationships with other community organizations. The partnership between our Big River Farms program and Minneapolis Public Schools’ farm to school program is just one way we help ensure Minnesotans of all ages have access to nutritious fruits and vegetables — and support local emerging farmers at the same time.
How the Program Works
Since 2013, Minneapolis Public Schools has been purchasing local, sustainably grown produce from small and mid-sized farms throughout the region, including from Big River Farm-participating farmers. Each year, MPS selects a roster of partner farms through a competitive bidding process and builds a rotating menu that considers seasonal harvest schedules, so students are served the freshest items possible all year long. The selected farms then sell their fresh fruits and vegetables to the district. In more recent years, the program has expanded to also include poultry, meats, grains, and beans.
“When we provide Farm to School support for our farmers, we open up opportunities to increase market access for farmers through aggregating their produce so that we can meet the criteria of a contract and reduce risks of loss and severing vendor relationships. This support also helps address administrative, transportation, and infrastructure needs, giving farmers space and time to just focus on the farming aspect and not the other logistical pieces that often poses a challenge for many farmers.”
KaZoua Berry, Farm Director, Big River Farms
More Than Just Fresh Food
The farm to school program gives an estimated 35,500 students throughout Minneapolis Public Schools access to the nutritious foods they need to grow and learn, but the program’s benefits don’t stop there. Online and print menus feature a tractor symbol when items from the program are served, to help educate children on where their food is coming from and engage them in the process. Once a month, an entirely locally sourced meal is also served to students as part of “MN Thursdays,” which highlights the program’s benefits. Students love the fresh, flavorful foods and learning about how their meal gets from the farm to their plate!
“Farm to School reaches kids while they are still developing taste preferences and eating habits that will carry forward for the rest of their lives, and we know that participating kids are more willing to try new foods and eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.”
Erin McKee, Community Food Systems Program Director at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Supporting Emerging Farmers
An added benefit of the farm to school program is that it supports emerging farmers from small and mid-sized farms throughout our state who might otherwise struggle to break into a competitive market. Mario Alvarez is just one of the many farmers at Big River Farms who participate in the program — last year, he grew approximately 2,500 pounds of fresh foods like watermelon, green beans, zucchini and peppers for Minneapolis Public Schools.
“I made my first vegetable sales in my life through this program (Farm to school). Trading vegetables for money is great! When I was a farmer in my country, my father was in charge of sales, and I helped him with production, but I never made a sale myself because I was still very young, around 16 years old. After I left my country at 18, I didn’t return to farming until 35 years later. If I didn’t have access to sell through this program, it would be difficult to find markets, and I wouldn’t produce a variety of vegetables; I would have to focus on producing just one product that is easy to sell, like corn, for example. Additionally, Big River Farms provides guidance on what I could sell, which products store better, and I’ve learned about vegetable quality—how to select the best from my production. I send only the best I have.
Mario Alvarez, Farmer at Big River Farms
The Future of Farm to School
During the 2024 legislative season, additional funding was granted to support the continuation of the farm to school program in Minnesota. This comes on top of the passing of universal school meals in 2023, a program that provides free breakfasts and lunches to all school-aged children. Put the two together, and the future looks bright for our region!
“I mean, it’s fresh and it tastes good. I like tomatoes. Also, the cantaloupe is good and the grapes are good.”
Henry, Minneapolis Public School Student
“It tastes better. I really like the carrots.”
Lewis, Minneapolis Public School Student
Learn more about the Big River Farms farmers participating in Minneapolis Public Schools’ farm to school program:
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