Making it in Minnesota – an update

by Chris Shields | August 3,2009 • Today the Minnesota Department of Agriculture kicks off the “Eat Local Challenge,” an effort to get Minnesotans to buy and eat more Minnesota-grown foods. As we already know, locally-made products keep more of your dollar in the Minnesota economy, and have few carbon miles attached to them. Given Minnesota 2020’s commitment to urging people to buy Minnesota-made products, it’s an apt time to look at the current state of “buying local” in Minnesota.

On the topic of eating locally, the Huffington Post recently named Minneapolis the 9th best US city for local food. One of the places that exemplifies our ranking is one of my favorite restaurants, the Common Roots Café. According to their website:

“We prepare all our food from scratch using as many local and organic ingredients as possible. By doing so, we are reducing the distance food travels from farm to plate and the pollution that comes from that transport. And we are supporting farmers that are stewards of the land.”

Of course buying locally isn’t just about food. Want to build, remodel, or furnish your home with Minnesota-made products? Midwest Home Magazine has the answer. Their own Made in Minnesota Guide gives you the opportunity to:

“build a beautiful, modern house using only products made in Minnesota. It’s true. And we can prove it. From aspen saunas in Cokato and air-jet bathtubs in Minneapolis to white cedar shingles in Duluth and reclaimed wood flooring in Hugo, the Land of 10,000 Lakes makes it all. Why build local? It’s good for our collective bottomline—and we’re talking more than eco-friendliness. Buying from locally owned stores returns at least 68 cents of every dollar back to the Minnesota economy—even more if products are manufactured here.”

This is just a small update. If you know of any other efforts not mentioned here, leave a comment and a link. Don’t forget, when you buy Minnesota, you help Minnesota.