Minneapolis Food Action Plan

Food Action Plan Heding logo with city logo

The City of Minneapolis is developing a Food Action Plan and encourages community involvement. Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates and news.

What is the Minneapolis Food Action Plan (MFAP)?

The City of Minneapolis is developing a roadmap toward a more equitable, climate resilient, just and sustainable local food system and local food economy. The goal of the Minneapolis Food Action Plan (MFAP) is to develop a 2030 roadmap for Minneapolis food systems action, building on previous efforts and plans, aligning with Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and incorporating data and community input. MFAP will serve as an appendix to the City’s Climate Action Plan and a stand-alone framework with food systems data and recommended goals, strategies, tactics and measurable indicators for City of Minneapolis policy and investment and Food Council action.

In 2009, the City of Minneapolis adopted the Homegrown Minneapolis recommendations, followed by an Urban Agriculture Policy Plan in 2011 and establishment of the Food Council in 2012. In 2013, the City of Minneapolis adopted the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan, which is the City’s roadmap to reducing Citywide greenhouse gas emissions. In 2017, the City of Minneapolis signed onto the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. Most recently, the City of Minneapolis adopted Minneapolis 2040, the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The Climate Action Plan defers to Homegrown Minneapolis for proposed climate change-related food systems actions, which this effort intends to advance, through the framework of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact with research partnership from the University of Minnesota.

How can I get involved?

Share your input in person at Food Council meetings focused on specific MFAP topic areas. All meetings are from 5:00 to 7:30 pm at Minneapolis locations to be determined. See the full meeting calendar. Download meeting schedule flier

April 17, 2019 -- Planning Introduction and Kick-off at Homegrown Minneapolis Community Food Forum
View presentation from Homegrown Minneapolis| View presentation from University of MN
View forum notes

May 15, 2019 – Topic 1: Food Justice & Equity, East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd Street NE, Minneapolis
View meeting notes| View Food Justice Principles
Missed the meeting? Provide your input on Food Justice & Equity in the food system.

July 24, 2019 – Topic 2: Diets & Community Demand, East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd Street NE, Minneapolis
View meeting slides| View meeting notes| Watch the meeting recording
Missed the meeting? Provide your input on Diets & Community Demand.

September 11, 2019 – Topic 3: Agricultural Food Production, Wirth Chalet Fireplace Room, 1301 Theodore Wirth Parkway, Minneapolis
View meeting slides| View meeting notes| Watch the meeting recording
Missed the meeting? Provide your input on Agricultural Food Production.

November 13, 2019 – Topic 4: Retail, Wholesale, Processing & Distribution, Roosevelt High School, 4029 28th Ave S, Minneapolis
View meeting slides| View meeting notes| Watch the meeting recording
Missed the meeting? Provide your input on Retail, Wholesale, Processing & Distribution

January 8, 2020 - Topic 5: Food Waste Generation & Management, MPS Davis Center, 1250 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis
View meeting slides| View meeting notes| Watch the meeting recording
Missed the meeting? Provide your input on Food Waste Generation & Management
March 11, 2020 - Topic 6: All topics together with Governance, Finance & Implementation, Pearl Park Recreation Center, Multi-purpose Room, 414 E Diamond Lake Rd, Minneapolis
View meeting slides| View meeting notes

30-minute debrief/reflection sessions will occur at Food Council meetings on June 12, August 14, October 16, December 11, February 2020, and April 2020. Outcome categories for all topic areas: Equity, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Climate Resilience, Other Environmental, Health & Well-being, Economy

Food system topic areas to be covered by MFAP

Topic 1: Food Justice & Equity

The plan will be developed with a food justice framework and a measureable justice lens for each topic area. We are working with community and the Food Council to identify a food justice framework for the purposes of this planning process. We have crafted a base set of principles from input gathered and fine-tuned over multiple meetings to be used as a guide through this process.

City of Minneapolis Food Justice Principles

City of Minneapolis equity and racial equity definitions (2014):

Equity - Fair and just opportunities and outcomes for all people
Racial Equity Programs - The development of policies, practices, and strategic investments to reverse racial disparity trends, eliminate institutional racism, and ensure that outcomes and opportunities for all people are no longer predictable by race.

Sustainable Healthy Cities definition of equity & justice with focus on measurements:

Inequality is a measure of sameness or difference across any population. Equity addresses both inequality and fairness in distribution of burdens and benefits across society (Dempsey et al.), with attention to underserved or populations, i.e., by gender, race, economic class, disability, sexual orientation (Ramaswami 2019). Social justice provides greater attention to the historical and institutionalized roots of inequities. Equity can be measured both in terms of differences in the distribution of determinants (food access, etc.) and outcomes (health, life expectancy) as well as procedural equity (participation).

Topic 2: Diets & Community Demand

All food consumed and used city-wide, including food eaten by residents both in and outside the home (with attention to individual diets shaping this demand); by visitors to the city and by industrial food processors (processing food for both local consumption & export)

Topic 3: Agricultural Food Production

Production of agri-food (agriculture for food products including: oilseed, grain, vegetable, fruit, nut, greenhouse, sugar, other crop, poultry & egg, diary, beef, other animal and fish farming) serving urban demand both within and outside the city, as well as local production for local consumption & export from the city

Topic 4: Retail, Wholesale, Processing & Distribution

All activities related to distribution, processing and sale of food and beverages between the stages of production & final consumption

Topic 5: Food Waste Generation & Management

Generation and management of food waste both avoidable (i.e. edible) & unavoidable (i.e. peals, kitchen scraps) across all stages of the supply chain (production, processing, distribution, retail, final consumer)

Topic 6: Governance, Finance & Implementation

Governance, finance and implementation mechanisms to achieve food system outcomes

How will the planning process work?

The Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council will use existing meeting times every other month, beginning in May 2019, for presentations of information about six rotating topics, gathering input and discussing priorities. University of Minnesota research partners will gather and present information related to the designated topics and outcomes at each meeting. City and outreach partners will facilitate ongoing community engagement and input on data and priorities. The Food Council will hold discussions to determine priority strategies and City staff will present a draft plan to Minneapolis City Council and Mayor for consideration in 2020. Adoption of the plan will be followed by implementation planning and subsequent implementation of priority strategies.

Partners and engagement

City of Minneapolis, Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council, University of Minnesota, Sustainable Healthy Cities Network, residents, community organizations, businesses and artists, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis Public Schools, Terra Soma consulting and other food systems stakeholders.

Last updated Apr 10, 2020

Accessibility menu

Minneapolismn.gov

Upcoming Homegrown Meetings

Homegrown Highlights

Contact