The Regional Challenge: Supporting Farms and Food Access

Region 5 is rich in agricultural diversity but faces significant socioeconomic challenges. The five central Minnesota counties that make up the region are among the most economically distressed in the state, with two—Todd and Wadena—consistently ranking among the poorest.[[1]] Despite an abundance of small farms and a wide range of agricultural products, many residents struggle to afford or access nutritious food, and many local farmers must rely on off-farm jobs to make ends meet.[[2]]

As of 2012, Region 5 was home to approximately 5,610 farms spanning over 1.2 million acres.[[3]] The majority of farms in the region are small, family-owned operations under 40 acres, including those run by Amish, Latino, and American Indian farmers. The region produces a wide variety of crops and livestock, from poultry, eggs, and milk to over 70 varieties of vegetables.[[4]] However, growers—especially fruit and vegetable farmers—face systemic barriers including short growing seasons, lack of access to season-extension infrastructure, and limited income.[[5]]

To address these challenges and strengthen the region's food system, the Region Five Development Commission (R5DC) launched a bold initiative. R5DC is one of nine regional development commissions created by the Minnesota Regional Development Act of 1969 to provide technical assistance and administer grants at the local level.[[6]] In 2016, R5DC partnered with Sprout LLC to open the Sprout Growers and Makers Marketplace—a 20,000-square-foot facility designed to transform how local food is grown, processed, and distributed.[[7]]

The Sprout Marketplace Model: Centralized Food System Infrastructure

The Sprout Marketplace serves as a centralized food hub, strategically tackling barriers related to distribution, processing, and education.

1. Food Aggregation and Distribution

The Marketplace aggregates, stores, and distributes fresh, frozen, and value-added products from sustainable farms across Region 5. These products are then sold to institutional buyers like schools, healthcare facilities, resorts, restaurants, and grocers, providing small farmers with stable, reliable regional market access and ensuring more local food reaches community tables.

2. Business and Processing Support

The facility goes beyond distribution by providing small-scale producers and food entrepreneurs with the tools to grow their operations. This includes:

• Commercial kitchen space for value-added processing.
• Business management services and supply chain support.

3. Community Health and Education

The Marketplace acts as a center for public health and nutrition. It hosts community cooking classes, nutrition education, and cooking demonstrations by local chefs and farmers. Public health programs such as "Choose Health"—supported by Minnesota's Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP)—further extend the impact by providing food-insecure families with CSA boxes, health screenings, and nutrition education.[[8]]

Strategic Investment and Impact

The Sprout Marketplace initiative emerged directly from the Resilient Region Project, a comprehensive public-private strategic plan that identified agriculture as a central pillar for economic development in the region.[[9]]

R5DC played a key role in stakeholder engagement, planning, grant writing, and securing funding. The Commission raised more than $2.6 million in funding to support local food system development.[[10]] Funding partners include federal agencies (like the USDA), state departments, and foundations (such as the Bush Foundation and the Otto Bremer Foundation).

The Region 5 model demonstrates how investment in food infrastructure can revitalize rural economies, support sustainable farming, and improve public health outcomes. The approach is rooted in community needs and guided by regional planning, proving that even economically distressed areas can become leaders in food system innovation.[[11]]

This model supports:

• Stronger regional economies by creating stable markets for local farms.
• Improved food access by linking community institutions with local producers.
• Greater equity by supporting small-scale, BIPOC, immigrant, and beginning farmers.
• Healthier communities through public health education and nutrition support.

Key Legal Instrument: Statutory Text

Language in the Resilient Region Plan prompting the establishment of the Sprout Growers and Makers Marketplace:

Action Step EC2B "Develop local foods opportunities, including community gardens and local producer and distribution networks. The goal is to make local foods more accessible to residential and

commercial consumers, such as schools, hospitals, and local grocery stores. Continue to move forward on local food education, production, processing, distribution, and purchasing at the regional level."

Action Step EC2C "Explore options, including regulations and incentives, for adding value to locally grown agriculture and setting new, regional regulatory standards that encourage local food production, processing and distribution. These new standards must still meet federal and state regulations that ensure the health, safety and welfare of the purchasing public."

Action Step EC2E "Increase demand from citizens, institutions, and businesses for locally produced goods. Make local foods more accessible by increasing transportation options for seniors and low- income populations. Create a distribution and marketing network which could improve transportation of bulk local food goods to stores."

References

[1] Minnesota Employment and Economic Development. "Compare Minnesota Counties," May 16, 2025. https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/compare/compare-counties/.

[2] Region Five Development Commission. "Local Food Endeavors within Region Five," May 2015. http://www.resilientregion.org/cms/files/Local%20Food%20Report%20May%202015.pdf.

[3] Happy Dancing Turtle. "Central Minnesota Food Hub Feasibility Study," September 2012. https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.resilientregion.org/cms/files/Central%2520Minnesota%2520Food%2520Hub%2520final.pdf.

[4] Region Five Development Commission. "Local Food Endeavors within Region Five," May 2015. http://www.resilientregion.org/cms/files/Local%20Food%20Report%20May%202015.pdf.

[5] Happy Dancing Turtle. "Central Minnesota Food Hub Feasibility Study," September 2012. https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.resilientregion.org/cms/files/Central%2520Minnesota%2520Food%2520Hub%2520final.pdf.

[6] "About Us", Region Five Development Commission, n.d. https://www.regionfive.org/about

[7] Martin, Kara, and Kimberley Hodgson. "Moving from Resilient Planning to Implementation: Minnesota's Region 5 Transforms Its Food System." Growing Food Connections, April 2017. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://growingfoodconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/GFCInnovation_Deep_Dive_Region5Minnesota_April2017.pdf.

[8] Martin, Kara, and Kimberley Hodgson. "Moving from Resilient Planning to Implementation: Minnesota's Region 5 Transforms Its Food System." Growing Food Connections, April 2017. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://growingfoodconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/GFCInnovation_Deep_Dive_Region5Minnesota_April2017.pdf.

[9] Region Five Development Commission. "The Resilient Region Plan: The Central Minnesota Sustainable Development Plan," August 14, 2012. https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.resilientregion.org/cms/files/The%2520Resilient%2520Region%2520Plan%2520Presented%2520August%252014.%25202012.pdf.

[10] Martin, Kara, and Kimberley Hodgson. "Moving from Resilient Planning to Implementation: Minnesota's Region 5 Transforms Its Food System." Growing Food Connections, April 2017. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://growingfoodconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/GFCInnovation_Deep_Dive_Region5Minnesota_April2017.pdf.

[11] Martin, Kara, and Kimberley Hodgson. "Moving from Resilient Planning to Implementation: Minnesota's Region 5 Transforms Its Food System." Growing Food Connections, April 2017. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://growingfoodconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/GFCInnovation_Deep_Dive_Region5Minnesota_April2017.pdf.