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Carrie Allord, a third-grade teacher at St. Francis Catholic School in Brainerd, has been recognized as Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom’s (MAITC) 2024 Outstanding Teacher Award winner.

Allord uses a wide range of agriculture-themed books, lessons, and materials to support the development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in her students, and is always looking for opportunities to connect plants, animals, and food to the learning activities happening in her classroom. She also uses a classroom chicken named Pearl as well as a chick hatching program to help students investigate lifecycles and connect to important science concepts.

“To be agriculture literate is to understand and respect where our food comes from. It is important for teachers and students to share the knowledge of agriculture so that everyone around us understands how agriculture impacts our world, and our daily lives,” said Allord.

In addition to the state-level award, Allord was also recognized as one of six Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award winners by the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. She will receive a $500 stipend and travel expenses covered to attend the 2024 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, this June.

All Minnesota licensed K-12 educators who creatively integrate agricultural concepts into non-agricultural education classroom settings are eligible for the MAITC Outstanding Teacher Award. Applications are reviewed by a committee of MAITC Foundation board members, who select the recipient each winter.

MAITC is a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the MAITC Foundation that seeks to increase agricultural literacy through K-12 education. Visit the MAITC website for more information and free educational resources.

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Media Contact:
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is planning to treat six areas in Carlton County and one area in St. Louis County to manage spongy moth infestations detected in those areas last fall. Officials plan to conduct the first of two rounds of aerial management activities likely the week of June 10.

The exact date and time of aerial management activities are heavily dependent on weather conditions and insect development. For the most up-to-date information on these activities, citizens are encouraged to sign up for text or email notifications.

• Receive text notifications by texting “MNMDA Treatments” to 66468.
• Receive email notifications by texting “MNMDA Treatments [your email address here]” to 66468.
• Or sign up online for text or email notifications.

All management areas in Carlton County are in the eastern portion of the county; the area in St. Louis County is just north of Meadowlands. Exact locations can be found via maps on the MDA website or an interactive map that is searchable by address. Citizens may notice a low-flying airplane as it navigates the treatment areas. The aerial management activities will start as early as 5 a.m. It may take multiple days to complete the first round of activities. The MDA apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the noise of the plane.

This is the first of two aerial applications of Foray/Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) over each area. The second will take place 5-14 days after the first application. Btk is a biological product that is organic certified for food crops. It has no known health effects for humans, pets, birds, fish, livestock, bees, and other insects.

To help area citizens stay informed, the MDA has set up a Report a Pest Info Line at 1-888-545-MOTH with the latest details about treatment dates and times. On the morning of the treatments, residents can call the phone number with any questions they may have. Simply press 0 (zero) to speak to someone. The MDA's website also has information about spongy moths and control efforts.

The MDA offers the following tips to residents in the management area:

• The management product has no known health effects for humans, but residents may wish to stay indoors during the management activities and keep windows closed for a half hour after application.
• Residents can cover gardens or turn on sprinklers if they wish.
• The residue does not cause damage to outdoor surfaces. However, soapy water will remove any residue on outdoor items.

Spongy moths are among America's most destructive tree pests, having caused millions of dollars in damage to Eastern forests. The moths are now threatening Minnesota. If present in large numbers, spongy moth caterpillars can defoliate large sections of forest. Oak, poplar, birch, and willow are among their preferred hosts. The moths spread slowly on their own, but people can unintentionally help them spread by transporting firewood or other items on which the moths have laid their eggs.

Contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture at 1-888-545-6684 or reportapest@state.mn.us with questions regarding spongy moth and the planned treatment.

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Media Contact
Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
Brittany.Raveill@state.mn.us