Mission | The Village Agricultural Cooperative

Welcome. Thanks for checking us out.

We are a collaborative of people from all over the world who are

building the economic power of historically marginalized

communities through food justice initiatives that are sustainable

to our planet. We source land in under-utilized urban areas to

create family farms that produce culturally relevant foods which

sustain indigenous traditions and nourish diverse communities.

Through entrepreneurial opportunities, the Village advances the

development of food sovereignty.

Our Impact:

We connect more than 200 families with land access to grow their own food.

30% of our farmers preserve more than 100 pounds of food per year, primarily through freezing.
Culturally specific greens are the #1 food that our farmers preserve.
40% of our farmers are interested in growing their own farm business and earning income from farming.
15% report earning "life-changing" income through the food they sell from their farm.
45% are interested in participating in our technical assistance programs to grow their own business.

The mission of the Village Agricultural Cooperative is three-fold:

Connect people with land, water, and culture
Provide education and resource connections
Grow the farmers and food producers of tomorrow

Vision: A healthy, equitable, and inclusive food system for a sustainable future.

Values: We do not do for others what they can do for themselves. A thriving community leads itself!

History: The Village was founded in the spring of 2019 through local partnerships between staff of the University of Minnesota - Rochester, Diversity Council, Rochester Cambodian Association, Olmsted County Public Health, U of MN Extension Education, Rochester Farmers Market, Plant a Seed, Channel One Food Shelf, and many other community-based organizations. We officially registered as a nonprofit with the State of Minnesota in February 2020 and earned our federal 501(c)(3) status in March 2022. Since then, we've continued to grow as a nonprofit business focused on lifting historically marginalized communities through access to land and increased participation in local food systems.

Our original mission centered on helping elderly immigrant communities in Rochester find welcoming spaces to grow food in community. Today, we support local growers from over 22 countries who are integrating into area farms and markets. In 2022, we launched our own market at the History Center through a partnership with Renewing the Countryside and the USDA. In 2023, we began developing a formal farmer education program in collaboration with Big River Farms and The Food Group. We believe that growing food builds health—through movement, nutritious eating, and connection with others.

Currently, we support more than 200 families across six leased urban and rural sites around Rochester, covering over 11 acres. Our growers rent land on a pay-what-you-can basis and cultivate crops traditional to their home countries. We also work with senior members of our community who have downsized their homes, as well as young and emerging farmers looking for a place to begin.

In 2024, we partnered with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Channel One Regional Food Bank, and The Good Acre through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program to support emerging farmers and strengthen our local food system. Together, we donated $146,000 in local food to area food banks—$112,400 in fresh produce from 14 Village farmers and $34,000 in poultry from Tree-Range Farms.

Additionally, our mission now includes supporting local entrepreneurs producing value-added foods for sale in local markets. Navigating licensing and accessing commercial kitchen space can be challenging, and we work to provide the support needed to help entrepreneurs succeed. This effort brings food full circle—from the ground to prepared foods that reflect our cultural diversity and preserve family traditions.

Looking ahead to 2025, we are focused on developing new market opportunities for our farmers, creating more pathways for them to grow sustainable businesses and share their food with the broader community.

The Village was built around the needs of local community-based assessments which include:

Food Sovereignty: the right for all people to have culturally appropriate food which is created through sustainable methods, preserving the food systems for future generations.

Environmental Justice: the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in the development and implementation of adequate food systems which feed our people and care for our planet.

Community Integration: strengthens us as a whole by incorporating our diverse skillsets and knowledge bases to create circles where individuals feel strengthened, supported, and connected to and by the world around them.

Regenerative Agriculture: the process of growing food where we replace what we take from the earth, decrease pollution, protect our watersheds, capture carbon and develop processes which preserve soil structure and integrity, creating a healthier ecosystem.

Locally Sourced Food: less reliance on lengthy and complex supply chains, lowered dependence on drought stricken regions with over-worked soils, more dependable access to fresh food and increased food security.

Our work is important because the state of Minnesota has some of the largest disparities in wealth, education, and home ownership between the white majority and marginalized people of color. Opportunities such as the Village support individuals to reduce their grocery bills, preserve indigenous agricultural practices, share their culture with one another, enhance their physical and mental health, and build a healthier community and planet while growing healthy food. We are educating our youth, valuing our senior members, and working together for a stronger future.