ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz today announced $5.5 million in new funding for Minnesota food shelves. 50 percent of funds will go toward food from Minnesota producers and processers, supporting the local agricultural community.

“No family should be faced with a decision to either put food on the table or pay the bills. That’s why Minnesota has taken major strides to eliminate hunger, from investments in universal school meals to millions in funding for food shelves and agriculture support,” said Governor Walz. “With this funding, we’re relieving a strain on family pocketbooks and ensuring a stable supply of healthy food to meet Minnesotans’ needs.”

“This funding arrives during a challenging season for many Minnesota families and will help us deliver more food where it’s needed most,” said Second Harvest Heartland CEO Allison O’Toole. “We must continue to build on investments in the emergency food system along with universal school meals and the child tax credit in order to end hunger once and for all."

“We are so grateful for this investment from Governor Walz and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to provide quality and local foods to the emergency food system in Minnesota. The Food Group values supporting local producers and getting food to those who need it most in our communities - this grant does both,” said The Food Group Executive Director Sophia Lenarz-Coy. “We will be prioritizing more than half of the funds to source from local producers to build up our local food system and all the food will go to our network of over 200 food shelf partners. With food shelf visits in our state at record levels, this makes a significant impact.”

This funding is authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act and allocated through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Funds will support Second Harvest Heartland and the Food Group, hunger-relief organizations that partner with food shelves to provide millions of meals across the state.