The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) helps farmers and business operators protect themselves and their property from flood-related damage to food products and facilities, agricultural chemicals, feed, livestock, farm structures, and other infrastructure. 

Before a flood, MDA helps individuals and businesses prepare by providing recommendations and guidance for moving livestock, stored grain, food items, agricultural inputs, seed and other materials out of harm’s way.  MDA field personnel also work with agricultural chemical facilities to strengthen safeguards around equipment and storage tanks to prevent accidental release of product.

After the flood waters recede, MDA helps farmers and businesses with recovery steps that include verifying the safety of stored food products and agricultural chemicals, testing well water supplies for contamination, and responding to any contamination related to release of agricultural chemicals into the environment.  MDA also helps evaluate damaged facilities and equipment, and provides guidance for repairs and new installations in order to re-open a food establishment.  MDA also helps producers and businesses access federal and state assistance, and through the Farm Advocate Program, offers counseling and service referrals for those suffering loss.

Spring Flooding

Spring floods can cause significant damage to farm and food facilities. While rising waters can damage fields and cropland, typically the most significant concern with spring flooding is damage to farm and food facilities including:

• Agricultural chemical facilities (pesticide and fertilizer dealers, etc.)
• Grain elevators and other grain storage facilities;
• Grocery stores, convenience stores and other food retailers; and
• Livestock facilities such as dairy farms.

MDA’s general recommendations to flood-impacted farms and businesses are:

1. Take steps to minimize the flood’s impact on your operation. This may mean moving valuable equipment, livestock or stored grain to higher ground.
2. Know how to contact the state duty officer (call 1-800-422-0798) and your local police and fire officials if you have an emergency;
3. Double check that you have insurance coverage suitable to your circumstances. Farmers with insurance questions or concerns can contact our Minnesota Farmer Assistance Network (MFAN) service by calling toll-free to 877-898-6326 or by emailing program coordinator Kevin Plante at Kevin.plante@state.mn.us 

MDA has prepared a series of fact sheets designed to provide more specific recommendations for various farm and food operations. These sheets are available below, and each one contains contact information and phone numbers for farmers and business managers looking for additional information.

• General Information (PDF: 219 KB / 1 page)
• Financial Assistance (PDF: 173 KB / 1 page)
• Protecting Stored Grain (PDF: 147 KB / 1 page)
• Dairy Farms & Food Facilities (PDF: 151 KB / 1 page)
• Seed, Feed & Manure (PDF: 192 KB / 1 page)
• Ag Chemicals (PDF: 152 KB / 1 page)
• Flood Clean-up Guidelines for Stored Food

Farmers and Ranchers

• Flooded Crop Information
• Store sensitive items, including seed, feed and drugs for animal feed, off the ground and in an area not prone to flooding
• Dike or sandbag bins
• Remove manure stockpiles from flood zone
• Contact your county feedlot office or the Pollution Control Agency if your manure storage facility is at risk of overflowing
• Identify a reliable source of emergency feed supplies for livestock
• Certified organic producers are urged to be mindful of applicable organic standards and to contact their certifying organization following any flood that affects certified organic cropland
• Protect wells from floodwater, or if wells are compromised by floodwater, secure an alternate source of safe water for your animals

Food businesses (grocery stores, food processors, warehouses, etc.)

• Remove products and supplies from below-ground storage
• Check on alternative product storage options away from flood zone
• Locate main gas and electrical shutoffs
• Backup computer records and store backup files in a separate location safe from floodwaters
• Protect important paperwork and other key records from water damage
• Use plugs to prevent floodwater from backing up into sewer drain
• Keep all employees informed of plans and review their responsibilities

Agricultural Chemical Facility operators and workers

• Activate your emergency call list
• Think of people's safety first
• Have an exit strategy
• Postpone deliveries of new products until the flood risk has passed
• And/or call suppliers to remove their products
• Lock and protect storage tank valves
• Secure storage tanks to prevent movement or damage by flood waters
• Move rolling stock to higher ground
• Move mini-bulk and 55-gallon off-site or elevate onto pallets
• Move small packaging to higher ground or elevate
• Make sure tank lids are secured
• Sweep and clean up contaminants within containment areas
• Place pumps indoors and within outdoor containment areas
• Start barricading openings around doors before lower ground floods
• Empty fuel tanks into fuel trucks
• Empty liquid fertilizer tanks and move product off-site
• Empty bulk pesticide containment tanks and move product off-site
• Empty dry fertilizer from bins and move product off-site
• Remove all pumps and meters
• Fill empty liquid fertilizer and bulk pesticide tanks with water so they won't float away
• Maintain accurate inventory of product on site
• Retrieve important records (customer invoices, farm maps, etc.)
• Remove computer hard drives off-site
• Place computer equipment and files on top of desks or move them off-site
• Turn off electricity
• Remove as much electrical equipment as possible
• Fuel and turn on generators to activate pumps
• Notify state duty officer of any accidental release of product as soon as possible
• Account for everyone when evacuating the site
• Always think about people first

Where Else to Turn for Recovery Resources?

• Rural Finance Authority   – Can provide financing to help clean up, repair or replace farm structures and septic and water systems, as well as replace seed, other crop inputs, feed, and livestock when damaged by floods and not covered by insurance. Contact at 1-800-366-8927. 
• Farm Advocate Program  – Provides one-on-one assistance for Minnesota farmers, small businesses and community residents who face crisis caused by a natural disaster or financial problems.  Contact at 218-268-4472.
• The Farm Service Agency ‑ Provides emergency farm loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to natural disasters or quarantine.  Contact at 651-602-7700.