Comment by Northwest Minn on August 31, 2012 at 11:19am

Welcome to the Northwest Food Initiatives Community

This community has regional focus, and is intended to bring many sectors and perspectives together to strengthen food systems work in the region. 

If you have an idea for a discussion topic, or a want to share your work, please do.  

Invite your friends from the region to join this group too.

Linda 

Comment by Kathy Draeger on November 19, 2012 at 1:39pm

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/380793/

Great article on the suspending of the Sustainable Food Production degree program at Fergus Falls.  It features Noelle Harden, newly hired by the U of M Extension as a Community Food System Educator and member of this HEMN community.  

I'm quite disappointed to see the program suspended.

Kathy

Comment by Abby Gold on November 19, 2012 at 4:02pm

It doesn't look promising. I'm so dismayed. The college will keep some of the courses but spread them around different departments. What is the point? A bit worried about the way my quote was inserted. Did you see it? Makes it sound like we have a lack of "farmers" in the Northwest.

Comment by Ben Anderson on November 19, 2012 at 7:03pm

I think your second quote was fine.

Regarding your first quote: Why can't this or a similar program be offered through MN or ND Extension? This sort of thing is one of our focuses, our educators have the interest and expertise, and we offer other certificates. To me it seems to fit better with Extension than MNSCU.

I agree that there is a market for this type of production, and it's growing, but I don't think this is promoted enough. There are plenty of resources available too (financial and non-financial, from Extension and others), but it may not all be strategically coordinated.

Comment by Kathy Draeger on November 20, 2012 at 5:58am

The U is starting a new major in the on Sustainable and Organic Food Systems- based on the St. Paul campus.  This is a great step forward for the U, but won't fill the niche that the sustainable production program at Fergus filled.  It is worth a conversation to see if there are some potential synergies between MNSCU and the U on this topic.  I.e. the U and Fergus team up to offer both the science based curriculum and the practicum.  

Comment by Noelle M Harden on November 21, 2012 at 11:15am

Thank you for posting the article Kathy, and for your ideas everyone. I agree with Abby, there's not much hope for the program as is. I think it is key to focus on the larger issue, which is the lack of young farmers in Minnesota and throughout the country. Who is going to grow our food in the coming decades, and how will those farmers adapt to a dramatically changing food production landscape? 

Ben - I think you are on to a really good point about changing platforms for the program. Would UM Extension be able to offer an accredited degree and hands on, farm based training? I also heard about the new program in St Paul...it makes me hopeful that land grants could provide some of that systems thinking, if not the hands on training as well.

What would be the next step forward to explore this partnership between the U and Sustainable Food Production?

Comment by Abby Gold on November 21, 2012 at 12:15pm

I think the key program phrase there is the accredited degree. I thought a bit about what Ben suggested and I'm not sure if Extension's role is so much of that intensive education, I don't know if we are geared up to provide the kind of experience that the Community College offered. We need something in this area of the State. The St. Paul program could maybe have a satellite program. We could run it out of Probstfield :-)

Comment by Ben Anderson on November 21, 2012 at 12:51pm

I agree that a degree is beyond Extension, but if the program was revamped it could fit. We offer other certificates/programming that people pay for, we have the connections and expertise on this subject, and it'd be a legitimate contribution towards one of the Dean's three priority issue areas (community food systems), maybe even two depending on how we're defining educational disparities. I'm thinking something similar to our Master Naturalist and Gardener programs, or to use them as models.

I agree with Kathy that the new major is good but won't work for everyone or fit all the interests/needs.

MNSCU colleges are constantly changing programs/degrees and have more funding issues, so that's the challenge with them taking the lead on something like this or even partnering with them. They're very decisive and focused.

If we want to more formally discuss this, I'd be happy to participate. It just seems to fit Extension, fill a need, and fine-tune our programming in this area.

Comment by Abby Gold on November 21, 2012 at 1:08pm

Yes, worth further discussion!

Comment by Abby Gold on November 21, 2012 at 1:08pm

We have the Local Foods College already started.

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