Minority and immigrant farming: Productive enterprise

Despite the significant trend away from family farming in Minnesota and elsewhere - for many reasons giving way to the power of (often polluting and environmentally unsound) corporate farming enterprises, chemical companies and federal farm policies, Minnesota is showing growth in small to mid-sized family farms. Why? Because we are blessed by a surge in farms run by minority and immigrant families as a counterweight to the massive feedlots, bio-fed livestock, and chemically infused fruit and vegetable crops.

Most of us now know that farmers' markets are multiplying throughout our cities, providing us with farm-to-table fresh and nutritionally better foods. Again, we can thank enlightened organic farmers who practice strong, sustainable and healthy alternatives to the highly processed foods peddled in most of our supermarkets.

The Minnesota Food Association, the Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women in Minnesota, and the USDA-Farm Service Agency will jointly co-host the 5th Annual Minority and Immigrant Farming Conference (brochure/registration) - February 19-20, 2010, in the Wilder Foundation Auditorium in St. Paul at 451 Lexington Parkway North, at the corner of University Ave. (MAP), an ideal opportunity for all of us to understand the important role minorities and new Americans are playing in bringing us to a sustainable food future.

TTT's ANDY DRISCOLL and LYNNELL MICKELSEN talk with some of the key players in this excellent movement toward a resurgence of family farms and healthy eating. GUESTS: • GLEN HILL - Executive Director, Minnesota Food Association • NIGATU TADESSE - USDA–Farm Service Agency • RODRIGO CALA - Latino Farmer

Andy Driscoll