Serving: Chisago County | Isanti County | Kanabec County | Mille Lacs County |  Pine County

The East Central Regional Development Commission is an “Equal Opportunity Lender / Service Provider”. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Public Comment  North Central Regional Food Business Center DRAFT Action Plan

The USDA has provided funding to establish 12 Regional Food Business Centers (RFBC’s) throughout the country. The East Central Regional Development Commission (ECRDC) is a part of the North Central RFBC, along with other entities in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. What this means is that the USDA has provided us with funding for the next 5 years that will allow us to help small- and mid-sized food producers with the tools and support they need to sell their products.

Recent events, such as the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine, has made it clear the current global food system is not resilient. The purpose of creating the RFBC’s is to strengthen the regional supply chain and provide economic opportunity for small to mid-sized food producers, including:

• farmers and growers
• food processors and distributors
• food outlets (like grocery stores and farmers markets)
• food chain partners (like senior nutrition sites, schools, and healthcare facilities)

We want to hear from you!

In October the ECRDC started to gather groups of those involved in local food systems, from producers to distributors, to create an action plan of the best way to move forward so we are able to provide the technical assistance most needed in our region.  Above is a link to the DRAFT North Central Regional Business Center Action Plan. Comments may be submitted electronically at: ecrdc@ecrdc.org or mailed to:   RFBC, ECRDC, 100 Park Street S., Mora, MN 55051. Questions – call 320-679-4065 #26.  Deadline to comment is 4:00 PM on December 20, 2023.

__________________________________________________________________________

Currently our staff is following a hybrid schedule. Please call ahead to ensure that the ECRDC staff person will be in the office.

What this means

• We’re not closed. We’ll continue working on our projects and initiatives using the remote-work technology tools we have at our disposal to communicate and take our meetings both in-person and/or online.
• ECRDC Board meetings will be held in-person only.
• Committee meetings may be held in-person and/or structured as phone/video calls.
• Staff will work remotely and from the office on various days. Visit our staff page for contact information.

Stay connected

We’re committed to keeping our website and social media channels up to date on office closings, changes in programs or services and other important information. Stay connected during this time. Subscribe to our and follow us on Facebook.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Mille Lacs County Public Interest Vacancy

The East Central Regional Development Commission (ECRDC) has a vacancy on the Commission Board for a Public Interest Representative from Mille Lacs County.  According to State Law, and the ECRDC Bylaws, a person representing the general public interest of the county must be appointed.  The position is for a two-year term.  Any person who is a resident of Mille Lacs County and would be willing to serve on the Commission’s governing body is encouraged to apply.  Applications can be obtained on the ECRDC web site on the About Us page , by email to ecrdc@ecrdc.org or by calling 320-679-4065 x25.

ECRDC Mission

The East Central Regional Development Commission’s mission is to provide leadership and direction through problem solving. We do this by initiating projects and programs that lead to create solutions to regional problems, by providing technical assistance and by identifying and developing available resources. Our mission is to provide a leadership role as an advocate for East Central Minnesota to bring about positive change.

History of the East Central Regional Development Commission

The East Central Regional Development Commission was organized by petition of local units of government in 1973. Formation of regional development commissions – RDCs – is authorized under the Regional Development Act of 1969. An updated Regional Development Act was passed in 1997 by the Minnesota Legislature. There are 13 development regions in Minnesota.