From source to table, the industrial food economy is dependent on practices that contaminate and destroy ecosystems and contribute to greenhouse gases – and we’re paying for it. Instead, we can meet the demands of water, food, and climate by investing in a regenerative economy designed to connect urban and rural communities through the food that we share.
Add your support to the Headwaters Community Food and Water Bill (HF1332/SF1580), a visionary piece of legislation that will invest our public dollars in the resilient, regenerative, and inclusive food economy that we need.
We are people who eat food, and we bet you are, too! But our “food system” – everything from agricultural production (crops and livestock) to food preparation, consumption, and waste – contributes 26% of our greenhouse gas emissions here in Minnesota. That’s on par with transportation and energy production, so if you’ve considered solutions like electric vehicles or ending the use of fossil gas or stopping a pipeline, you might want to also consider taking a closer look at the food on your plate. The good news is, we already know there is a better way to do it – and everyone who depends on food has something to contribute to the resilient, regenerative, and inclusive food economy we need in order to meet the challenge of climate change.
The work of the MN350 Food Systems Team was originally inspired by the science of Project Drawdown, and incorporates MN350’s vision of a just transition to a sustainable, life-affirming economy, led by the communities who have been most impacted by the extractive, consumption-based economy currently funded by our tax dollars. Our three work groups are based on three food-system “solutions” from Drawdown that are already being implemented in Minnesota:
All three of our work groups contribute to our policy and public outreach efforts:
The Food Systems Team meets online from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on alternating Thursdays. We share upcoming opportunities to get involved, give updates on current activities and campaigns, and often include a training or presentation to further our understanding of the food system. For specific dates, check out the Events Calendar.
To learn more about any of our work groups or campaigns, email Lisa Chou, our team leader.