Sustainable Food Supply
To Get Involved in Farm & Food Policy, Sustainable Agriculture, Local Food and Democracy…To Take Action on the Issues YOU Care About, Sign Up for MRCC’s Action Alert List!
Access to Healthy & Affordable Food
MRCC members work on multiple sides of the food supply chain. We work with independent family farm producers to help them get their products to market. We also help rural families get the food they need in their often remote locations at a price they can afford.
MRCC understands and works to address food insecurity in both rural and urban communities, where economic injustice and corporate food chains force family farmers out of business, and simultaneously create food deserts for low-income urban neighborhoods. The corporate takeover of our food system impacts all citizens. A healthy food chain requires economically-viable family farms and urban consumers who have access to fresh, local food at affordable prices.
Patchwork Family Farms
Patchwork Family Farms
is a
c
ooperative marketing effort made up of independent Missouri family hog farmers who want to bring their family farm-raised pork products to you,
and a program of
Missouri Rural Crisis Center
.
MRCC launched Patchwork Family Farms in 1993 to give Missouri’s independent family farm hog producers an alternative market to the commodity market that was becoming and has become concentrated and captured by a few multi-national corporations, putting family farmers out of business, extracting wealth from our rural communities and damaging our food security.
Patchwork Family Farms purchases hogs directly from local, independent family farmers, and producers raise their hogs the traditional way, outside without use of sub-theraputic antibiotics; and, we have a price floor and pay significantly above market price, to ensure our producer members get a fair and good price for their hogs no matter how low the commodity market goes, keeping them in business and supporting local economies and food systems
By purchasing Patchwork Family Farm pork products, you are directly supporting independent agriculture, rural economies and Missouri farm families.
MRCC Food Cooperatives
MRCC started our Food Cooperative program in the 1980’s during the farm crisis as an emergency food program. Since, we have transitioned the program into a food cooperative that includes 8 coop distributions that serves 18 Missouri counties. This program provides rural families with high-quality, affordable food where access is limited and resources are scarce. Members receive vegetables, fruit, bread, dry goods, other staples and Patchwork Family Farms meat. Last year, MRCC coops distributed 206,500+ pounds of food.
MRCC has coops in Chillicothe, Gravois Mills, Ivy Bend, Macon, Moberly, Sedalia and Smithton.
To participate or volunteer for MRCC’s Food Coops, contact Monica at the MRCC office at monica@morural.org or (573) 449-1336.
Growing the Local Food Chain
As part of MRCC’s goal towards rural and urban collaboration, our Growing the Local Food Chain in Missouri project is working to build a stronger food justice and local food presence. Our project deepens MRCC’s engagement with rural and urban youth, adults and families through experiential and educational activities focused on local food and food justice. We host events like youth workshops, cooking demonstrations, urban/rural partnership initiatives, and community gardening in St. Louis and mid-Missouri.
MRCC’s Farms are for Everyone Farm Camps are bridging the gaps between urban and rural, young and old, and consumers and producers–by building unity among diverse groups. Farm Camp exposes youth to rural ways of life, teaches them about sustainable family farm livestock production and local food preparation, and offers a fun environment for rural and urban kids to interact and build life-long friendships centered around agriculture and food justice.
Gaby Patch Kids Cooking Program brings together youth, local producers, and chefs to empower kids to cook the food for themselves and their families.
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Why Join MRCC’s Membership
MRCC is able to deliver meaningful victories because of the ability to call people into action with mailings, meetings, phone calls, research, and action alerts. By joining MRCC, you are investing in your future and the future of independent farmers and consumers across the country.
- Support Family Farmers and Rural Community
- Promote a safe, affordable high-quality food supply for consumers.
- Protect the environment for future generations.
- Create economic opportunities for Missouri.
- Engage Missourians in the democratic process.