Local Foods

Healthy Food Access
Eating local foods benefits the community by providing a healthier diet, supporting local farmers, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions because of the decreased distance for food transportation. It has been found that local foods even taste better because the produce is picked fresh from the fields, not ripened or preserved with chemicals. Download a Maplewood Local Foods Guide (PDF) for more detailed information on local food choices.

Local Food Labels
Labels can help you understand where and what you are buying. Here are a few common labels.
USDA Organic
U.S. Department of Agriculture standards for production, handling, and labeling of organic agricultural products like meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Organic meats come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is grown and processed without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, agricultural bioengineering, or by treating the produce with ionizing radiation. Click here to view Organic Standards from the USDA.
USDA Organic Logo
Food Alliance Certified
Food Alliance is a nonprofit organization that certifies farms, ranches, and food handlers for sustainable agricultural and facility management practices. A local affiliate certifies produce from local midwest sources. Visit the Food Alliance website for more information.
Food Alliance Certified, Midwest Grown Logo
Fair Trade Certified
Fair Trade is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that tracks products from farm to finished product in order to verify compliance with Fair Trade criteria including: fair price, fair labor conditions, and environmental sustainability. More information is available on the Fair Trade USA website.
Fair Trade Certified Logo

Minnesota Grown


Is a Minnesota Department of Agriculture certification program which highlights businesses that grow, raise, or process Minnesota products. Businesses receive an annual license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture highlighting their work. The license allows companies to use the Minnesota Grown logo to promote their products. Get more information from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
Minnesota Grown Logo