St. Paul, MN: Minnesotans are invited to celebrate the bounty of the harvest season during Farmers’ Market Week, taking place Aug. 4-10, 2024, as proclaimed by Gov. Tim Walz.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) — in partnership with the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association, Minnesota Grown, Minnesota Farmers Union and Land Stewardship Project — will recognize the week with an event at the Lincoln Park Farmers’ Market in Duluth on Thursday, Aug. 8.

“Everyone deserves to have access to fresh, nutritious foods, and farmers’ markets across Minnesota help make this a possibility,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Thank you to the organizers, workers, producers, and vendors who work tirelessly to make these markets happen and bring more locally grown items to their neighbors.”

“The health department is committed to reducing instances of preventable chronic diseases, and we know that eating more fruits and vegetables is a big part of helping make that happen,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham. “Not only are farmers’ markets places for producers to sell directly to shoppers and improve access to healthy foods, but they also contribute to the wellbeing of a community by providing greater social connection. We celebrate these spaces this week and thank all of those partners who help make these opportunities possible.”

The Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association reports there are currently 375 farmers’ markets and over 10,000 market vendors in Minnesota and the tribal nations within the state. These markets provide essential food access programs that increase the accessibility and affordability of fresh, locally grown food, including SNAP EBT, Market Bucks, and others. Additionally, with the growing adoption of produce prescription programs like Veggie Rx, health care providers are collaborating with farms and farmers’ markets to provide more locally grown foods to people whose health could improve with access to a healthier diet.

Activities at the Lincoln Park celebration will include shopping with over 25 local vendors, live music, family-friendly activities, giveaways, a free community meal, and presentations from dignitaries including MDH Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham. Festivities will start as the market opens at 3 p.m. and culminate with the community meal.

National Farmers’ Market Week is a yearly celebration sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which highlights the value markets bring to communities and the important role they play in the U.S. food system. Each year, farmers’ markets across Minnesota participate in the event by creating their own independent celebrations.

The Lincoln Park Farmers’ Market is run by Community Action Duluth (CAD) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Duluth, MN, every Thursday from mid-June to the end of September from 3-6 p.m. at Harrison Park, and once monthly indoors October-March.

CAD’s mission is to empower and engage the community to eliminate poverty. Through partnerships, people with low incomes find support, resources, and relationships that help them overcome economic, racial, and cultural barriers to establishing and maintaining self-sufficient and connected lives.

The Lincoln Park Farmers’ Market acts not only as a place for residents to access healthy local food, but also as an engine for community connection that contributes to the social and economic vitality of the neighborhood. Market goers participate in a variety of programs that provide healthy food access for youth, people over 60, and SNAP participants. There is so much fun to be had at the market including live music every week, cooking demos, family friendly activities, and special programming days such as Bike to the Market, Jamboree, and Salsa Days. Learn more at www.communityactionduluth.org.

The Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA) provides services, programs, and leadership that support and promote farmers’ markets across Minnesota. The organization works to foster a community of vibrant, profitable, and professionally managed Minnesota farmers’ markets that cultivate, nourish, and inspire a vibrant local foods landscape. The MFMA vision is to create greater accessibility to local, farm-fresh foods and to allow opportunities for local food producers to thrive and grow. Find their statewide map of markets at www.mfma.org.

Minnesota Grown is a program of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to promote products grown and raised in Minnesota. For over 40 years the program has connected consumers with local farmers, farmers’ markets, and other agricultural producers through resources like the Minnesota Grown directory, a searchable map of over 1,000 local farms, markets, and producers. The program also licenses the use of the Minnesota Grown label to Minnesota producers and retailers. Anywhere you see the Minnesota Grown logo, you can have confidence that product was grown or raised within the state. Find local near you at minnesotagrown.com.

Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. MFU is a nonprofit membership-based organization. Membership is open to everyone. Learn more and join at www.mfu.org, and follow MFU on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering an ethic of stewardship for farmland, promoting sustainable agriculture, and developing healthy communities in the food and farming system. LSP has offices in the Minnesota communities of Montevideo, Lewiston, and South Minneapolis. Learn more and join at landstewardshipproject.org.