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 1981-1983 – St. Paul citizens successfully campaigned to protect the future of the St. Paul Farmer’s Market. The St. Paul Food Association was formed.
1985 – MFA registered as 501(C)(3) to form a coalition of informed, connected, and active urban and rural people who will work together to build a more sustainable food system.
1985-1992 – MFA helped create the St. Paul Food Police, aided the Minneapolis Food Policy Task Force, and held rural-urban dialogues.
1993-1994 – MFA hosted Citizen’s Forums to help build the values framework for a statewide food policy.
1995 – MFA hosted Food Summit to craft a food policy for MN. MFA’s founder, Ken Taylor, died.
1996-2002 – MFA helped establish Community Food Project, and helped create the Farm and Food Festival (now Living Green Expo).
1998 – MFA launched New Immigrant Agriculture Project to provide to new immigrant farms training and technical assistance on crop production, financial management, and farm business planning.
2003 – MFA developed and published Breaking New Ground: Learning to Manage a Small Farm in the United States, a curriculum for training, and co-hosted Food Summit 2003: Strengthening Local Food Systems.
2004 – MFA opened the Agricultural Training Center, and co-hosted Summit 2004: Minnesota Immigrants and Refugees Agricultural Consortium and Land Enterprise (MIRACLE).
2005 – First year of May Farm CSA. 50 members and farmers.
2006 – Second year of May Farm CSA. 150 members.
2007 – Big River Foods distribution program started. MFA connected local produce from NIAP immigrant farmers to 8 wholesale venders, including Chipotle. May Farm CSA reaches 280 members and is financially self-supporting. NIAP reaches 140 farmers. GAP/GHP Certification.
2008 – MFA integrates 3 programs into Big River Farms, a comprehensive training program that utilizes CSA and wholesale marketing and distribution. CSA reaches 380 members; Sales wholesale to 5 venders.
2009 – MFA continues to operate Big River Farms with 8 farms in the training program, a 120-member CSA, four main wholesale contracts, and numerous small vender partnerships.
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