These days, Dakota Rural Action is all about food - local food, and local production of food.

That's why the Brookings Chapter of the statewide organization has sunk itself lately into several projects aimed at getting people to buy and produce foods locally.

A group that has received a reputation in some circles for getting involved in controversial policy issues, the DRA has recently shifted some of its emphasis, according to Jacob Limmer, chair of the organization's statewide committee.

Limmer is a Brookings restaurateur and an organic farmer.

"We're moving into an era of proactive, positive work that has a positive influence on land- scape and on policy," he said. "Instead of trying to have a top-down approach to changing landscape, we're trying to have a bottom-up approach."

In other words, Limmer said, the organization is trying to build up small-scale production rather than discourage big farm development .

DRA was born nearly a quarter-century ago as an outgrowth of a committee called the South Dakota Rural Organizing Project, and it was formed to play an active role in the farm crisis of the mid-1980 s. An activist organization from the beginning, the group alienated some local producers who saw its members as "outsiders" who were interfering in local matters such as zoning for cattle feedlots and hog barns. Even then, however, the membership was largely local - only a few of the professional staff came from outside the region. Grassroots ag group

Over the years, DRA has morphed into the organization it is today - "… a grassroots family agriculture and conservation group that organizes South Dakotans to protect our family farmers and ranchers, natural resources, and unique way of life."

And the group's Web site makes clear its purpose: "We strive to build grassroots leadership through community organizing by giving people a strong voice in decisions affecting their quality of life."

What could be more important to quality of life, DRA leaders reason, than food - locally grown food. They're out to save the planet, one tomato at a time.

DRA members hope to encourage local growth through the "South Dakota Local Foods Directory," which is being released today, Earth Day. The group is also working on a local food-buying program and a farm beginnings program aimed at helping novice farmers develop their skills.

"Those address core critical issues in terms of developing a local foods market in South Dakota," Limmer said. Directory an important project

The local foods directory has been a major project for the organiztion. "Probably the most visible thing right now that DRA produces is the local foods directory," said DRA volunteer Laura Wight, who is serving as the organization's co-chair of Earth Day events.

"That is a directory that is published in print - and it's also available online - that lists statewide all of the people who produce food, everything from wine to meat and vegetables and fruit, (the) local food producers."

Wight and other DRA members also visited elementary schools throughout the past week, advising students on the need for recycling and other positive environmental approaches.

DRA intern and member and South Dakota State University student Holly Tilton has been working on the project for about the past two months. Tilton, who decided to join the DRA after working with the organization on several projects in her capacity as SDSU Sierra Club president, said the timing is right for releasing the directory today.

"Kind of with the way everything was working out, it was going to be ready around Earth Day and we thought, 'What better way to get it out there to the people than to release it on a day that's also important to us?'" she said.

This spring's directory is the DRA's second such effort; the first book was published in fall 2007. Helping start farm businesses

The Farm Beginnings program will be held for the first time this fall, said Kristianna Gehant, secretary of the statewide board and co-chair of the Small Farms Committee, which oversees both the directory and Farm Beginnings programs.

"The demand for local foods is kind of exploding right now, and we have discovered that there really aren't enough producers out there to meet the demand in this area," she said.

The two-part program starts with a fall/winter classroom session, where students will be taught about developing a farm enterprise business, finding resources for farming, and other topics.

"Every session will include at least one farmer who actually has experience with what's being discussed that day," Gehant said. In the spring/summer session, participants will visit different farms and see successful farmers firsthand, she said.

At the conclusion of the class, mentoring programs will be available to interested participants . The class will cost $1,500 total, but scholarships will be available for up to half that cost, according to Gehant.

Gehant participated in a Farm Beginnings class in Minnesota recently; the program has been available there for 10-12 years. Limmer said 60 percent of graduates from the Minnesota program are now farming on their own.

The local food-buying program, meanwhile , is a developing Internet program that will allow farmers and producers to list their products online; Limmer hopes that project will be rolled out next spring. 90 local members

The local food projects are among many the DRA has worked on during its twodecade existence. Brookings' DRA chapter has existed since shortly after the statewide organization opened its doors 21 years ago, said Frank James, staff director of the local chapter. Statewide, the organization has about 600 members - including 90 members in Brookings, which is the biggest chapter.

James said membership has been increasing lately.

"I attribute a lot of it to the local foods work, the small foods work; the positive things we're doing there," he said.

Despite shifting some of its emphasis to ground-up type farming work, the DRA still gets involved in some issues that can get heated. Limmer said the DRA has recently gotten involved in the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. If approved, a pipeline would be built through the U.S. to transport Canadian crude oil to Gulf Coast refineries.

Part of the proposed route includes Eastern South Dakota - it passes through Kingsbury and other bordering counties. Limmer said the DRA wants to make sure "the landowners that are being affected have a voice in the process."

He said the group sometimes gets accused of trying to stop progress, which isn't the main goal.

The group is instead trying to look out for the landowners, Limmer said, and keep up the local production.

For the complete article see the 04-22-2009 issue.

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