Specialty Crop Block Grant Past Projects

Cook County Community Center / Extension

The purpose of the project is to assess the economic impact of growing local cut flowers and to identify their niche markets along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

$14K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

To continue our successful Farm to Head Start program that brings fresh, healthy, local specialty crops into early care settings, and to begin bringing specialty crops to summer food programs through leveraging our Head Start partnerships. Read more about the Farm to Early Care process.

$100K

Minnesota Certified Seed Potato Growers Association

Implement marketing strategies to increase industry awareness of the quality and variety of Minnesota grown certified seed potatoes to increase sales and industry reach.

$15K

Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

The Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association will strengthen Minnesota’s specialty crop industry by providing tailored on-farm instruction in production, marketing and financial management, and networking opportunities for beginning growers.

$71K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

This project increases sales of Minnesota specialty crops through statewide marketing including sponsored search advertising (pay-per-click), promoted social media posts, and promotion of specific specialty crops in the printed directory. Visit the online Minnesota Grown Directory to find specialty crops grown in Minnesota.

$80K

Renewing the Countryside II

Farmers often have the capacity to produce more specialty crops than can be sold to individual customers at farmers' markets, so this project will help vendors expand sales and income streams by having market managers facilitate wholesale sales (also called aggregation). Find more information and manuals on the Minnesota Farmers' Market Hubs page.

$99K

Sustainable Farming Association

The Sustainable Farming Association will increase the profitability of farmers and beginning farmers by increasing premium garlic production, training farmers on best garlic growing/marketing practices, expanding markets and supply chains, and researching improved cultivation methods. Learn more on the Minnesota Premium Garlic Project website.

$100K

The Good Acre

With 1:1 business development and on-farm production and food safety technical assistance, The Good Acre and partners will increase farmer readiness to access wholesale markets and increase farm sales of Minnesota-grown specialty crops. Watch videos about the On-Farm Good Agricultural Practices Education Program to learn more.

$99K

University of Minnesota

Determination of the effects of nitrogen fertilization, seed source, and plant community on the production of beneficial phytochemicals in fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) for use in natural care products.

$51K

University of Minnesota

This project will increase native grass sales and improve public knowledge and awareness of the benefits of native grasses through an educational program, customer surveys, and point of sale displays at many garden centers in Minnesota. Visit the Native Grasses as Pollinator Food website for more information.

$57K

University of Minnesota

Optimum harvest and postharvest periods, traits affecting consumer appeal, and consumer preference will be determined for kiwiberry varieties adapted to Minnesota. Find out more: Meet the Kiwiberry video, Exploring the invasive potential of kiwiberry, and Fruit quality of kiwiberry in Minnesota.

$91K

University of Minnesota

In order to extend the season for cool season crops and marketing opportunities for farmers, we will use shading in low tunnels and pre-chilling to improve field production of locally grown lettuce and cauliflower with flavor acceptable to consumers. Read the journal article, Artificial Shading Can Adversely Affect Heat-tolerant Lettuce Growth and Taste, with Concomitant Changes in Gene Expression.

$93K

University of Minnesota

This project will optimize the methodologies to advance the techniques necessary to efficiently produce seedless table grape breeding lines for cold-hardy climates.

$97K

University of Minnesota

To sustainably control weeds in perennial fruit plantings, the University of Minnesota will investigate the use of decomposable grit applied via an air blast sprayer with the long-term goal of enhancing economic and environmental sustainability.

$97K

Central Lakes College

Evaluate the cost savings and effectiveness of in-furrow fungicide and starter fertilizer and top dress applications of nitrogen to increase seed yield and quality of dry edible beans.

$36K

The Good Acre

Help small-scale farms increase sales of specialty crops by providing food safety training to member farms as well as aggregation, distribution, and logistical services that would enable them to access wholesale markets; develop plans that all small-scale farms can use to add necessary infrastructure to become Good Agricultural Practice certified; and to develop food safety curriculum and industry models that will be shared around the state.

$94K

Jim Gehrke/Minnesota Valley Action Council

Protect the investment already made in existing food hubs by facilitating the rapid growth necessary for each to reach a self-sustaining level of development.

$100K

Latino Economic Development Center

Develop a pilot project to guide immigrant farmers in the efficient production of salad mix using specialized equipment and high-tunnel production for sale to chef-driven restaurants.

$25K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase market access opportunity, sales, and new distribution relationships for Minnesota specialty crop sellers and organizations.

$72K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Assess their distribution of pests as well as incidence/abundance and help growers monitor for them to mitigate losses.

$94K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Increase sales and competitiveness of Minnesota specialty crops through sponsored search advertising, increased exposure for specific specialty crops in the printed Minnesota Grown Directory, and development and distribution of new promotional materials for vegetable growers.

$74K

Sweetland Orchard

Assess the suitability of growing 12 cider apple varieties on two different rootstocks at eight geographically and climactically distinct locations in Minnesota.

$32K

University of Minnesota

Develop research-based management programs for Colorado potato beetle that exclude neonicotinoid insecticides. These programs will incorporate defoliation-based thresholds, new scouting methods, and resistance management tactics.

$95K

University of Minnesota

Provide research-based information to specialty crop producers regarding the benefits of legume cover crops in rotation with vegetable crops and extend this information to immigrant farmer communities.

$99K

University of Minnesota

Improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Minnesota fruit producers by developing an improved pest alert warning system for the highly damaging economic pest, the Spotted Winged Drosophila.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Development of novel tomato varieties and hybrids to meet the need of growers who reside in north and short season locations, providing locally grown fresh tomatoes to these areas.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Build supply chains to increase access to the University of Minnesota’s new or improved specialty crops [edible dry beans, organic potatoes, and hazelnuts].

$100K

University of Minnesota

Increase awareness of and demonstrate Deep Winter Greenhouse technology including production of an online training manual and workshops.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Improve potato production sustainability in the Midwest through validation of biochemical markers to predict sugar end development under field conditions for better storage management.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Develop sustainable mechanisms to harvest ginkgo seeds for medicine and food, thereby preventing the removal of mature female ginkgo trees that produce malodorous seeds in the urban environment.

$25K

Central Lakes College

Help meet the growing need for technical support for the wine and grape growing industries in Minnesota and to lead the effort to negotiate and implement rules concerning the Food Safety and Modernization Act by educating winemakers and grape growers and giving them access to personalized instruction from a seasoned professional.

$97K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Increase the local sale of Minnesota grown specialty crops in the childcare marketplace through technical assistance and outreach to Minnesota’s 33 county-level Head Start programs, including coordination with farmers, distribution and processing partners, and Head Start staff.

$90K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase demand and market access for Minnesota specialty crops with potential for wholesale distribution through promotional assistance at domestic trade shows such as the National Restaurant Association.

$42K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Gather key data directly from actual customers of Minnesota specialty crop growers, including demographics, distance traveled, amount spent, reasons for choosing the farm they did, social media usage, and other key market data.

$75K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase the awareness and consumption of locally produced specialty crops by creating new specialty crop educational materials and professional development opportunities for teachers including videos, a lesson booklet, and a student AgMag.

$74K

Minnesota Farm Winery Association

Increase awareness and sales of Minnesota wine made from Minnesota grown grapes, fruit, and honey by promoting Minnesota wineries as “points of destination” for travel/tourism, community-based business meetings, and social/recreational gatherings.

$70K

Minnesota Food Association

Increase the marketability of traditional Asian, African, and Latino crops by developing, evaluating, and eventually providing training on techniques to improve the efficiency of these crops.

$83K

Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Better equip fruit and vegetable producers for economic success by providing them with production and marketing information to make them more competitive in local markets, offering them strategies to increase customer loyalty and ways to effectively use social media to maintain and create connections, and conducting a beginning grower workshop to help new vegetable growers build a foundation for success.

$41K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Development and distribution of new promotional materials for vegetable growers and honey producers, development of a new series of videos promoting specialty crops, sponsored search advertising, search engine optimization, and increased exposure for specific specialty crops in the printed Minnesota Grown Directory.

$99K

North Dakota State University

Increase potato production by working to eradicate potato emergence disorder by determining whether the interaction between the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans and fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum is the cause of this problem.

$99K

Renewing the Countryside

Improve local producers’ access to new, institutional markets for edible specialty crops by providing regional farmer-buyer networking events that include food safety and local food procurement introductory workshops and by putting farm-to-cafeteria enhancement teams in place to develop the skills of buyers to purchase from specialty crop producers.

$98K

Seven Songs Organic Farm

Expand production of ginger and turmeric by testing a cost-efficient model for growing ginger (and turmeric which has similar requirements) in the Upper Midwest, while also creating better crop rotation, lowering overhead costs, and meeting public demand for this high-value specialty crop.

$52K

University of Minnesota

Provide needed food safety technical assistance and education to specialty crop growers in Minnesota using innovative and experiential learning opportunities including on-farm workshops, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, participation in national food safety courses, and a new online food safety plan short course.

$97K

University of Minnesota

Increase consumer knowledge on the benefits of native grasses, especially as larval food for pollinators, while increasing sales and use of native grasses through point-of-purchase marketing and educational materials at five garden centers in Minnesota.

$76K

Central Lakes College

Provide Minnesota Wineries with a quality testing program which would monitor wine quality, reward quality wines with an approved label, and increase sales of Minnesota grown wines through market expansion.

$48K

Cooperative Development Services

Increase specialty crop farmer knowledge of financial metrics pertinent to various food hub models by obtaining regional specialty crop-based food hub metrics, assessing the desires of Minnesota-based specialty crop participants, developing proforma templates for several types and scales of businesses, and disseminating the findings to specialty crop producers via web access and group seminars.

$37K

Farm Commons

Help specialty crop farmers understand techniques for negotiating and drafting sales agreements that help all parties achieve their goals and comply with emerging regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act.

$43K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Minnesota fruit producers by determining the best Integrated Pest Management practices for the economically damaging and invasive pest, the Spotted Winged Drosophila.

$100K

Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Strengthen the specialty crop industry and local foods movement by providing comprehensive, individualized production and management instruction for beginning fruit and vegetable growers.

$79K

Minnesota Grape Growers Association

Provide growers of cold-hardy grapes information, techniques, and best viticultural practices for growing high quality, cold-hardy grapes for maximum economic gain and personal satisfaction by developing a publication and accompanying videos.

$48K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Increase sales by creating innovative new promotional materials for wineries and vegetable growers, by creating new ads promoting apples, Christmas trees and berries, and by providing detailed information regarding apples, Christmas trees, pumpkins, berries and wineries in 170,000 copies of the Minnesota Grown Directory.

$99K

North Dakota State University

Reduce lost profits and wasted food through the identification of blemish problems commonly found in tuber potatoes and develop agronomic practices.

$90K

Renewing the Countryside

Help specialty crop producers grow their businesses in a manner that leads to expanded specialty crop sales and increased profitability and sustainability by providing them with customized assistance.

$94K

Sustainable Farming Association

Grow the demand and the supply of locally produced herbs through targeted producer and consumer testing and educational initiatives.

$53K

Third Sector New England

Research and test the market for cosmetically imperfect fruit and vegetables “seconds” grown by small and mid-size farmers in Minnesota through in-depth research with Minnesota fruit and vegetable growers and fresh-cut processors as well as market testing with area colleges and universities.

$96K

University of Minnesota

Enhance economic and environmental sustainability of strawberry production by investigating innovative production systems that couple new strawberry cultivars with innovative organic production methods and educating specialty crop growers on using these systems to extend the season until October.

$83K

University of Minnesota

Encourage rural grocers to purchase locally grown specialty crops by developing a how-to guide for specialty crop farmers to sell their produce to rural grocers, developing a produce handling toolkit and deliver on-site training for rural grocers, and developing a local food buying guide.

$70K

University of Minnesota

Create research-based management recommendations for leaf mold of high tunnel tomatoes by conducting research to characterize the biology and life cycle of the leaf mold pathogen, Passalora fulva, identify potential sources of the pathogen, and determine the ability of the pathogen to overwinter in Minnesota high tunnels.

$99K

University of Minnesota

Reduce losses from downy mildew and sustain a viable hop industry by characterizing diseases of hops in Minnesota, evaluating management options for hop downy mildew control, and educating hop growers about viral and fungal diseases of hops and their management.

$99K

University of Minnesota

Develop an in-field method of using spectral reflectance and chlorophyll content to determine potential infection of seed potato plants by Potato Virus Y, a viral disease of potatoes which, if present, precludes certification of seed potatoes, negatively impacting their commercial value.

$100K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Increase purchasing from Minnesota’s specialty crop growers by the childcare and school sectors through outreach activities to increase grower’s knowledge of how to sell to childcare programs, curriculum dissemination on how to incorporate farm to school into classrooms, and the development of a formal network.

$79K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase producer awareness of specialty crop enterprises and opportunities, increase profitability, diversify the agricultural landscape and enhance the quality of life for farmers and rural communities by developing and running farmer-to-farmer radio broadcasts highlighting 12 Minnesota specialty crop producers and their successes.

$30K

Minnesota Food Association

Engage in a strategic development process to explore the need and potential for offering additional "food hub" services such as aggregation, sales and distribution to beginning and immigrant farmers growing organic vegetables in the Twin Cities.

$40K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Increase sales of Minnesota specialty crops by promoting and improving the printed and online versions of the Minnesota Grown Directory; creating innovative new promotional materials for wineries, vegetable growers and nurseries/garden centers; and creating a public television feature program highlighting specialty crops.

$99K

Renewing the Countryside

Expand markets and increase sales of specialty crops in southern Minnesota by conducting a local foods tradeshow to connect buyers and producers, local foods expo, and creative marketing campaigns.

$68K

Sweetland Orchard

Increase understanding of the market demands for cider varieties by measuring the state of Minnesota’s hard cider industry through annual surveys of the state’s hard cider producers and sharing results with the Minnesota Farm Winery Association, the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Minnesota Apple Growers Association.

$10K

University of Minnesota

Improve producers’ knowledge of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and food safety practices by providing technical assistance, education, and tools necessary to support increased adoption of GAPS by specialty crop growers, including Hmong growers.

$88K

University of Minnesota

Ensure public food safety of locally grown leafy greens by enhancing farmer training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), studying current on-farm postharvest practices and their effects on greens' bacterial loads, and consulting with farmers on the feasibility of GAPs recommendations.

$88K

University of Minnesota

Evaluation of microbial inoculants and soil carbon amendments for their efficacy alone and in combination in reducing incidence and severity of scab, verticillium wilt, and other soilborne diseases of potato.

$94K