From Grassroots to Grasstops: How the Minnesota Food Charter Creats Systems Change to Advance Health Equity

Minnesota is one of­ the healthiest, most prosperous states in the nation. However a closer look reveals significant health, income, and other social disparities for communities of color, tribal nations, women, and rural seniors. A landmark legislative report published in 2013 by the Minnesota Department of Health identifies structural racism as a primary factor in these health disparities. This report, coupled with existing evidence, and related policy and systems work nationally on structural inequality and the food system, has Minnesota primed to address disparities and increase the health and prosperity of all its communities. One of the tools it is using to achieve this is the Minnesota Food Charter.

The Food Charter is a shared roadmap to guide food policy and planning at local, regional, and state levels toward greater access to healthy, affordable, and safe food for all.  Health equity was a primary principle used throughout the development of the Food Charter from the community engagement process involving thousands of stakeholders statewide, to draft development, and finally implementation. The Food Charter aims to advance health equity across Minnesota by (1) using intercultural competency-based communications strategies; (2) ensuring diverse representation in governance with leadership from those communities facing the greatest disparities; (3) incorporating policy and systems change strategies throughout the Charter designed to address health equity; and (4) fostering collaboration and synergies with existing health equity related initiatives at community, regional, statewide, and national levels.