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Two invasive insects new to Minnesota were reported to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Report a Pest service in August. Both insects were reported by two separate vigilant homeowners and were later confirmed as invasive insects: The elm seed bug (Arocatus melanocephalus) and Asiatic garden beetle (Maladera formosae).

Elm Seed Bug

The elm seed bug is an invasive insect that has piercing sucking mouth parts and primarily feeds on elm seeds but can also feed on linden and oak. The elm seed bug is mostly considered a nuisance pest like the box elder bug, as they can enter homes in large numbers. Box elder bugs are active in late summer and fall, but the elm seed bug is active in mid-June.

Native to Europe, elm seed bug was first confirmed in the United Stated in 2012. It is established in several western states, such as Oregon, Washington, and Utah.

Adult elm seed bugs are about 1/3 inch long; they’re a dark rusty-red and black color. The underside of the insect is red. On the back behind the head, there is an upside-down black triangle set inside two rusty-red triangles. Next to the edges of the wings where the abdomen is exposed are alternating white and rusty red-black patches.

Best management practices include sealing cracks and crevices on the exterior of buildings so the insects cannot enter and vacuuming up insects that make it inside. To limit entry into structures, there are certain insecticides that can be applied as a barrier treatment.

Asiatic Garden Beetle

The Asiatic garden beetle is an invasive insect that feeds on over 100 hosts, including fruit, vegetables, perennials, and annuals. Grubs prefer roots of ornamentals and garden plants. Preferred hosts include butterfly bush, rose, dahlia, aster, and chrysanthemum. Adults feed on the leaves and flowers of their host plants. Heavy infestations can lead to complete defoliation except for the leaf midribs.

Native to Japan and China, this beetle was first found in the United States in New Jersey in 1922. It is established in New England and a few Midwestern states, including Illinois and Indiana.

Asiatic garden beetles are about 3/8 inch long, are chestnut brown, and may have a slight iridescent sheen. The abdomen protrudes slightly from the wing covers. Adults emerge at night and fly actively when temperatures are above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. They are related to Japanese beetles but differ in that Japanese beetles fly and feed during the day and Asiatic garden beetles feed at night.

Since both elm seed bug and Asiatic garden beetle are newly discovered in Minnesota, the MDA would like to better understand where these insects may be in the state. Residents can report suspected sightings of both insects to the MDA’s Report a Pest line or call 1-888-545-6684. Please include clear photos when submitting a report online.

More information is available on elm seed bug and Asiatic garden beetle.

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

Minnesota farmers, educational institutions, individuals at educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations interested in researching sustainable agriculture practices and systems can now apply for funding through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).

The Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program funds innovative projects that explore the energy efficiency, environmental benefits, or profitability of sustainable agricultural techniques or systems, from production through marketing. The MDA will award up to $350,000 in grants using a competitive review process.

Applicants may request up to $50,000 per project. The first $25,000 does not need to be matched by the applicants. For requests between $25,000 and $50,000, applicants must provide a dollar-for-dollar match on the amount above $25,000.

Past grants have funded a wide range of projects, such as exploring cover crops and crop rotation; conservation tillage; input reduction strategies; integrated pest management; and alternative energies such as wind, methane, and biomass.

Projects may last two to three years and need to take place on Minnesota farms, and grantees must be willing to share what they learn with others. Grant projects are published annually in the MDA’s Greenbook, which provides a summary of each project along with results, management tips, locations of previous projects, and other resources.

Funding for this program is made available through the AGRI Program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout the state of Minnesota. The AGRI Program exists to advance Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.

Applications will be accepted through 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 7, 2023, and funding will be awarded in early 2024. For more information and application details, visit the AGRI Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant webpage.

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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has recently returned from a business development mission to Japan, joined by a delegation that included state lawmakers and representatives from Minnesota agricultural organizations. Taking place from September 8 through 15, the goal of the mission was to celebrate the rich history of trade and investment between Minnesota and Japan and identify new opportunities for growth for Minnesota agricultural products.

The U.S. is the largest foreign supplier of food and agricultural products to Japan, with Minnesota being the 11th largest U.S. state exporter to the country. Additionally, Japan is Minnesota’s fourth largest export market, representing 8% of Minnesota’s food and agricultural exports (2021), or $752 million. Minnesota’s top export products to Japan include pork, animal feed, soybeans, processed vegetables, dairy products and ingredients, pet foods, and corn.

“This mission offered the unique opportunity to learn first-hand about consumer and market trends in Japan and how Minnesota can help fulfill the country’s import needs,” said MDA Deputy Commissioner Andrea Vaubel. “Being able to lead an in-person tour like this is immensely important to maintaining and strengthening relationships and expanding markets for our producers. We’re thankful to the people of Japan for their continued partnership and support of Minnesota agriculture.”

The mission started in Tokyo, where the delegation toured several food retail businesses and met with United States Department of Agriculture Trade Office and Foreign Ag Service personnel at the U.S. Embassy. They also attended the Food Style Japan food service trade show to tour the U.S. Meat Export Federation pavilion, which showcased over 10 companies selling U.S. beef and pork products for the Japanese market. The group then traveled to Osaka for additional retail tours before concluding the mission, including a food ingredient manufacturer called Sanwa Starch that buys Minnesota corn for their product.

Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who were concurrently in Japan for the 2023 Midwest U.S.-Japan Conference, hosted the ag delegation for a reception in Tokyo as well as a luncheon in Osaka. They also joined the MDA group at the Food Style trade show, as did Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Varilek.

The full list of MDA business development mission attendees is as-follows:

• Andrea Vaubel, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture, MDA

• Emily Jerve, Marketing Supervisor, MDA

• Jeffrey Phillips, International Trade Representative, MDA

• Rep. Samantha Vang (38B), House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee Chair

• Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (63A), House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee Member

• Rep. Kaohly Vang Her (64A)

• Adam Ulbricht, Executive Director, Minnesota Bison Association

• Richard Syverson, President, Minnesota Corn Growers Association

• Mark Dombeck, Council Chair, Minnesota Dry Bean Research and Promotion Council

• Gary Wertish, President, Minnesota Farmers Union

• Brian Schwartz Sr., Executive Board Member, Minnesota Pork Board

• Joseph Smentek, Executive Director, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association

• Kaitlyn Root, Executive Director, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association

• Michael Landuyt, Producer, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association

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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Mille Lacs and Benton County for the first time. There are now 44 counties in the state, including Mille Lacs and Benton, with EAB.

Tree care professionals in both counties noticed trees with signs of an EAB infestation and made reports to the MDA. The Mille Lacs County infestation was discovered in Milaca along a set of powerlines. The Benton County infestation was found in a neighborhood in St. Cloud.

EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. The trees show several signs of infestation. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.

Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Mille Lacs and Benton County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine which limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area. The quarantine area for Mille Lacs County will be the southern portion of the county south of County Road 11, from Benton to the Isanti County border. All of Benton County will be under the EAB quarantine.

The MDA issues quarantines for all areas known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect.

A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Mille Lacs and Benton County will be held on September 28, 2023, from 10 – 11 a.m. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meeting:
September 28, 2023
10 – 11 a.m.
Register at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab

The public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Mille Lacs and Benton County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through October 30, 2023, and recommends adopting the quarantine on November 1, 2023. The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.

Comments can be made during the virtual meeting or by contacting:

Kimberly Thielen Cremers
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us

There is more EAB information on the MDA website.

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