The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is pleased to announce the first round of Farm to Food Security Grant recipients, including $50,000 for Care and Share of Crookston, Inc.
Established by the Minnesota Legislature in 2025, the program is modeled after the former federal Local Food Purchase Assistance Program. It creates market opportunities for Minnesota farmers by funding projects that purchase local food and distribute it to Minnesotans experiencing food insecurity.
“These grants are a smart investment in Minnesota agriculture and the organizations across the state working every day to address food insecurity,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Our first round of grantees will put public dollars toward food grown and raised in Minnesota, supporting farmers while helping established hunger-relief partners better serve their communities. Thank you to the Minnesota Legislature for getting funding for this important program across the finish line last year.”
Care and Share of Crookston, Inc. will use their grant funds to purchase farm-fresh produce, meat, and value-added food products grown and raised in Minnesota. For use in their soup kitchen that is open seven days a week. In addition to the daily meal service, food will be distributed three times per week through The New Hope Fund Shelf to further support individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. Care and Share of Crookston serves people from eight counties across Minnesota.
In total, the MDA issued $1,295,000 to 22 projects across 15 counties. 125 applications were submitted requesting a total of $7.1 million, and applications were evaluated through a competitive review process. All grant recipients completed a pre-award risk assessment, and those requesting amounts between $50,000 and $100,000 were required to provide a dollar-for-dollar matchon portions above $50,000.
