Fairgoers of all ages can connect agriculture to their daily lives with educational, engaging, and interactive activities and games at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) exhibit at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair.

Start your day with a “read and grow” story time, sponsored by Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom, at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. through all 12 days of the fair. Children can “read and grow” with agriculture story time, featuring special guest readers and ag-related books. Reading time is also a space to relax and grab a free bookmark that features a scannable QR code linking to a list of agriculture-themed books for kids.

Visit with farmer-members of the Minnesota Grown local foods promotion program who will be on hand to answer questions about their food production and farm operations, explore the Minnesota Grown in Your Home exhibit, learn all the great features of the online Minnesota Grown directory, and receive a free Swedish dishcloth when you vote for your favorite way to support local farmers. You can also enter to win a basket of local Minnesota Grown items when you sign up for the Pick of the Month newsletter. You can also show your Minnesota Grown pride with a fun assortment of temporary tattoos.

Fairgoers can learn more about Minnesota’s invasive pests and noxious weeds, from spongy moth to emerald ash borer. The booth offers a themed prize wheel with various questions regarding invasive species topics. Kid-oriented questions are new this year, along with Junior Entomologist kits and personal insect repellent as prizes. Information on managing noxious weeds and steps to protect our environment from pests are also available.

In addition, the MDA’s Emerging Farmers Office (EFO) will be providing resources to help beginning and emerging farmers across the state. The office will supply information on land access, grants and resources, and language accessibility. This year, the EFO will include a prize wheel.

The MDA State Fair exhibit is in the North Hall of the Agriculture/Horticulture Building at the northeast corner of Underwood Street and Judson Avenue on the fairgrounds. The Minnesota State Fair runs Thursday, August 21 through Labor Day, September 1. Exhibits are open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Labor Day.

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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, Communications Director 
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us