$98,000 Donated by Co-ops to Sow the Seeds

By Barth Anderson

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) announced that the Sow the Seeds Fund has distributed two rounds worth of grants totaling $119,000 to 20 farmers in southeast Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. These farmers all suffered losses due to flooding in late August. The Fund was focused on assisting organic and sustainable farmers, many of whom direct market their products to consumers, the Wedge and other supermarkets.

The Sow the Seeds Fund has raised over $250,000 since the flooding this August. The Wedge donated $24,000, including $10,000 from a matching funds campaign and $14,000 from Wedge members "rounding up" at the registers. A total of $48,000 came from small donations made at a number of Midwest and Texas food co-ops, including:

Minnesota

• Wedge Co-op, Minneapolis
• Just Food Co-op, Northfield
• Eastside Co-op, Minneapolis
• Seward Co-op, Minneapolis
• Linden Hills, Minneapolis
• Mississippi Market, St. Paul
• Lakewinds, Minnetonka
• North Country Co-op, Minneapolis
• St. Peter Food Co-op & Deli, St. Peter
• Whole Foods Co-op, Duluth
• Valley Natural Foods Co-op, Burnsville
• River Market, Stillwater
• City Center Market, Cambridge

Wisconsin

• Outpost Natural Foods, Milwaukee and Wauwatosa
• Willy Street Co-op, Madison
• Viroqua Food Cooperative, Veroqua
• Menominee Market, Menominee
• Stevens Point Area Co-op, Stevens Point
• Just Local Food, Eau Claire
• People's Food Co-op, La Crosse

Michigan

• Marquette Food Co-op, Marquette

Iowa

• New Pioneer Co-op, Iowa City
• Oneota Co-op, Decorah

Texas

• Wheatsville Co-op, Austin

The National Co-operative Grocers Association, the umbrella group for these co-ops, donated $50,000 to the Sow the Seeds Fund in a matching funds campaign with natural foods vendors, making $98,000 that came from co-ops alone. One hundred percent of these contributions will go directly to farmers.

"We've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for our region's sustainable farmers," said Mark Muller of IATP and former Wedge Board member. "It shows the close connection co-opers have with those who produce their food."

Lindy Bannister, the Wedge's general manager, said, "The enormous support, both financial and emotional, that we saw towards our farmers in this time of crisis shows us how well our members understand what we do. We are amazed at both our farmers for what they bring to us and to our members and customers for how they carry us all."

A flood relief steering committee, consisting of agricultural and community leaders, determines how the funds are distributed. The committee is still accepting farmer applicants for shortterm, emergency funding of up to $5,000 until November 21. After that date, and as funding allows, the committee will review all of the applications received and consider providing larger donations to farmers that have been hit particularly hard.

"A few years ago, I don't think we would have had this wonderful response from the consumers," says George Boody, chair of the Fund's Flood Relief Committee and executive director of the Land Stewardship Project. "Consumers, food retailers and restaurants now recognize the high quality food, the land stewardship and the community-building that these farmers are providing."

It's important to note that the sad situation organic farmers found themselves in during the flooding was due in part to a lack of practical, affordable insurance for organic farmers that will pay the organic premium that farmers would have received for their damaged product.

"The Sow the Seeds Fund from private donations is wonderful, but points out the need for government support or some sort of insurance that would be available and work for organic growers, just as there is for conventional farms," commented farmer Renee Randall of Sweet Earth Organic Farm and a funding recipient. "Over the last seven years, weather patterns have caused at least three very difficult growing seasons. This is not the last disaster that will affect local family farms."

The Sow the Seeds Fund was initiated by the Wedge Co-op and IATP to support the local food systems in the Midwest. In the wake of the August 2007 floods affecting many farmers integral to the region's food system, the Fund decided to focus on the immediate need for flood relief.

The Sow the Seeds Fund Disaster Relief Committee is administered by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and the Wedge Food Co-op with a Steering Committee of representatives from Pastureland, Land Stewardship Project, Eastside Food Co-op, Renewing the Countryside, Heartland Food Network, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, Avalanche Organics, Minnesota Council of Churches, Corner Table Restaurant and Riverbend Farm.