Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the finland food chain (FFC)…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the finland food chain (FFC) seeks funds to research and build food systems programming in rural finland, minnesota. The FFC has built a coalition of local organizations and businesses including two teaching farms and a local grocery store to research and develop food systems programming that works towards our common goal of building a local food system on the north shore of minnesota. Within the project timeline, the team will research and develop programming in four areas of the food system: meat processing, food aggregation and distribution, beginning farmer training, and community-based agriculture classes. The project objectives build on the previous three years of work completed by the finland food chain. Using the assets and skills found amongst community partners and the technical assistance on the food chain team, the collaborative group will meet these objectives through research, community planning meetings, identifying community partners, and meeting with stakeholders to gather necessary information for program development. The work of the project will follow community processes that have been used throughout the 13-year history of friends of finland's work wherein community members are invited to design, collaborate on and lead various elements of the project. The outcome of the project will be programs that increase food access for local residents, build a self-sufficient food system, and provide the necessary education and training for food producers in the northeast minnesota region.