Skip to main content
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
  • Business Dev, Loans, Grants
      1. Business & Marketing
        1. Corporate Farm Information
        2. Food Business Development
        3. Exporting & International Trade
        4. Local & Regional Markets
      2. Resources for Farmers
        1. Beginning Farmer Tax Credit
        2. Emerging Farmers
        3. Minnesota Farm Advocates
        4. Farmer Stress
        5. Farm, Property, Real Estate Listing (MN FarmLink)
      3. Disaster & Cleanup Assistance
        1. Agriculture Chemical Response & Reimbursement Account
        2. Elk Damage Compensation
        3. Wolf Depredation
      4. Animals & Livestock
        1. Livestock Dealer Licensing
        2. Livestock Resources
        3. Avian Influenza
      5. Loans
        1. VIEW ALL Loans & Funding
        2. Disaster Recovery Loan
        3. Aggie Bond Loan
        4. Agricultural Best Management Practices (AgBMP) Loan
        5. Beginning Farmer Loan
        6. Farm Opportunity Loan
        7. Rural Finance Authority
        8. Loan Comparison Chart
      6. Grants
        1. VIEW ALL Grants & Funding
        2. Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant
        3. Local Food Purchase Assistance
        4. Down Payment Assistance Grant
        5. Agricultural Growth, Research & Innovation (AGRI) Program
        6. Value-Added (AGRI)
        7. Specialty Crop
        8. Livestock Investment (AGRI)
        9. Soil Health Equipment
      7. More Business Development, Loans, Grants Topics
  • Environment, Sustainability
      1. Conservation
        1. Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program
        2. Best Management Practices
      2. Organic Agriculture
        1. Organic Agriculture
        2. Minnesota Organic Conference
      3. Renewable Energy
        1. Governor's Council on Biofuels
        2. Biodiesel
        3. Ethanol
        4. Manure Digesters
        5. AGRI Bioincentive Program
        6. AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant
      4. Water Protection
        1. Clean Water Fund Activities
        2. Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program
        3. Water Monitoring Programs
        4. Nitrate in SE MN
      5. Farmland Protection
        1. Farmland Protection
        2. PFAS
        3. PFAS and Ag
        4. Products with Added PFAS
      6. Climate Change
        1. Agriculture in a Changing Climate
      7. More Environment, Sustainability Topics
  • Pesticide, Fertilizer
      1. Pesticides
        1. VIEW ALL Specific Pesticides
        2. Pesticide Overview
        3. Apply, Register, Store, Sell
        4. Pesticide Use & Sales Data
        5. Monitoring Pesticides in Water
        6. Regulation, Inspection & Enforcement
        7. Dicamba
        8. Integrated Pest Management
      2. Fertilizers
        1. Fertilizer Overview
        2. Apply, Register, Store, Sell
        3. Fertilizer Use & Sales Data
        4. Monitoring Nitrate in Water
        5. Ag Lime
        6. Anhydrous Ammonia Program
        7. Certified Testing Laboratories (soil & manure)
        8. Fertilizer Practices
      3. Best Management Practices
        1. Nitrogen Fertilizer BMPs
        2. Pest Control without Pesticide BMPs
        3. Pesticide BMPs
        4. Pollinator Habitat BMPs
        5. Turfgrass BMPs
      4. Safety & Cleanup
        1. Spills & Cleanup
        2. Waste Pesticide Disposal
        3. Pesticide Container Recycling
        4. Health & Safety
      5. File a Misuse Complaint
        1. Pesticide & Fertilizer Complaints
      6. Registered Product Search
        1. Find Pesticide, Fertilizer Products
      7. Licensing & Registration
        1. Search Licenses
        2. License Lookup
        3. Fertilizer Tonnage Reporting & Inspection Fees
        4. Pesticide Dealer Licensing & Sales Reporting
      8. Clean Water Fund Activities
        1. Clean Water Fund Activities
      9. More Pesticide & Fertilizer Topics
  • Food, Feed
      1. Feed & Pet Food Business Info
        1. Certificate of Free Sale
        2. GMP Certificate Request
      2. Food & Feed Safety
        1. VIEW ALL Food Safety
        2. Secure Milk Supply Program
        3. Food Ingredients/Allergens
        4. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
        5. Drug Residue Prevention
      3. Resources for New Food Businesses
        1. How to Start a Food Business
        2. Licensing Liaison Request
        3. Food Licenses
        4. Meat & Poultry Processing
        5. Wild Game Processing
      4. Selling Food & Feed
        1. Meat, Poultry & Eggs
        2. Dairy & Milk
        3. Labeling Requirements
        4. Minnesota Grown
        5. Cottage Food
        6. Venison Donation
        7. Hemp in Food
      5. Recalls & Complaints
        1. Report a Complaint
        2. Recent Recall Notifications
        3. MN Rapid Response Team
      6. Food & Feed Inspection Programs
        1. Retail Food Program
        2. Retail Food Plan Review
        3. Manufactured Food Inspection Program
        4. Produce Safety Program
        5. Commercial Feed & Pet Food
      7. More Food, Feed Topics
  • Plants, Insects
      1. Insect Pests & Diseases
        1. VIEW ALL Insect Pests & Diseases
        2. Report a Plant, Pest or Disease
        3. Emerald Ash Borer
        4. Spongy Moth
        5. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
        6. Japanese Beetle
        7. Swede Midge
        8. Velvet Longhorned Beetle
        9. Bacterial Wilt and Canker of Tomato
        10. Potato Cyst Nematode
        11. Red Star Rust
      2. Pest Management
        1. Pest Regulations
        2. Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer
        3. Pest Surveys
        4. Smarty Plants
        5. Research
      3. Plants
        1. Industrial Hemp
        2. Nursery Certification and Plant Regulation
        3. Cold Hardiness List
        4. Enforcement Forms
        5. Eradicate Map
        6. Noxious & Invasive Weeds
        7. Export Certification Program
        8. Grain Licensing Program
        9. Palmer Amaranth
        10. Seed Program
      4. Beneficial Insects
        1. Pollinators
      5. Licensing
        1. VIEW ALL Licensing
        2. Grain Buy & Store
        3. Plants, Trees & Seed
        4. Firewood
      6. More PLANTS, INSECTS topics
  • Licensing & Inspections
      1. License Services
        1. Licensing and Renewal
        2. Apply for a License
        3. Renew with a PIN
        4. Pay an Invoice
        5. Search for a License Holder
        6. Payment Options
      2. File a Report
        1. Pesticide Sales Report
        2. Shell Egg Annual Report
      3. Learn, Apply, Renew or Train
        1. VIEW ALL Licenses
        2. Crops
        3. Dairy, Milk
        4. Feed, Pet Food
        5. Fertilizers, Pesticides & Chemicals
        6. Food – Cottage, Retail, Wholesale
        7. Livestock
        8. Meat, Poultry, Eggs
        9. Plants, Trees & Seed
        10. Produce, Fruits, Vegetables, Grain
        11. Other
      4. View all Licensing & Inspections

Search

  1. Home
  2. Search
May 21, 2025

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Minnesota Grown Cream of the Crop Awards for Farm to School and Early Care. This new contest recognizes K-12 school districts, early care centers, and family day cares that go above and beyond to promote and serve foods grown and raised by Minnesota farmers and producers.

This year’s winners have earned the title of Cream of the Crop in their respective categories:

  • School District of the Year: Minneapolis Public Schools
  • Family Daycare of the Year: Little Skeeters Daycare (Bagley, MN)

“Minnesota continues to lead the way in farm to school, creating stronger connections between local farms, classrooms, and communities.” says MDA Commissioner, Thom Petersen. “We’re proud to recognize the schools and early care providers that are making local food a vital part of how we nourish students and invest in resilient local economies that support small family farms.”

Applicants were asked to share details about their local purchasing practices, how they promote and educate students about local foods, and how they engage with the broader community through events and activities. In their application, Cream of the Crop School District of the Year winner, Minneapolis Public Schools, highlighted their long-standing commitment with farm to school. “We have sourced farm-direct items from hundreds of producers since our program began in 2013. We anticipate spending more than $500,000 on Minnesota-grown produce, grains, beans, and proteins again next school year. This locally grown food is served in entrées, sides, and salad bars in more than 60 cafeterias throughout our district.”

Farm to School programming reaches beyond K–12 classrooms, extending into early care and family day care centers across Minnesota. Merry Charles, owner of Cream of the Crop Family Daycare of the Year, Little Skeeters Daycare in Bagley, MN, said that “children in my daycare learn everyday about good nutrition. They plant and grow all their own vegetables and this year we will be planting fruit trees. We make jams, jellies, and they freeze all the vegetables that we grow.”

In addition to the top awards, several schools and daycare providers were honored with Outstanding in the Field recognition at three levels:

Golden Drumstick Honors

  • ISD 196 – Rosemount-Eagan-Apple Valley
  • Mesabi East School District (Aurora, MN)
  • Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Center (Bemidji, MN)
  • Roseville Area Schools
  • Love and Laughter Family Child Care (Anoka, MN)

Silver Squash Honors

  • Foley Area Schools
  • Holy Rosary School (Detroit Lakes, MN)
  • Cannon Falls Area Schools

Bronze Berry Honors

  • White Bear Lake Area Schools
  • Winona Area Public Schools
  • Holdingford Public Schools

Winners of the Minnesota Grown Cream of the Crop School District and Family Day Care of the Year will each receive exclusive rights to use the Minnesota Grown Cream of the Crop branding for the award year, along with a commemorative plaque. Outstanding in the Field honorees will receive exclusive rights to use the Minnesota Grown Outstanding in the Field branding for the award year and a signed certificate. To learn more about the Cream of the Crop Awards, visit the contest website.

Minnesota Grown is a program of the MDA to promote products grown and raised in Minnesota. The program has connected consumers with local farmers, farmers’ markets, and other producers of agricultural products for over 40 years. Development of the Minnesota Grown Cream of the Crop Awards was supported by a Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant from the USDA.

###

Media Contact
Nikki Warner, MDA Communications
651-238-7909
Nikki.Warner@state.mn.us

  1. Home
  2. Search

The Manufactured Food Program licenses and inspects food manufacturers, food warehouses, and food brokers located in Minn

Manufactured Food Program Report 2024 (PDF)550.74 KB
Manufactured Food Program Report 2023 (PDF)459.17 KB
Find Your Inspector Tool
  1. Home
  2. Search
May 27, 2025

Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) is proud to announce Nathan Lund of Glacial Hills Elementary in Starbuck, MN as the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. This honor recognizes K-12 educators in Minnesota who creatively integrate agriculture concepts into their classrooms. 

Lund has taught 5th and 6th grade at Glacial Hills Elementary since 2021. With his support, students in his class have gained a deeper appreciation for agriculture and the environment through hands-on learning experiences. These include starting and maintaining a schoolyard garden, incorporating hydroponic systems in the classroom, restoring native habitats around the school grounds, canning tomatoes from the garden, and hosting food-making contests. In addition, Lund launched a school-wide composting initiative with his students actively leading the effort each year.

“We were so impressed by the many ways Mr. Lund and his students are working with their community—whether it’s building outdoor learning spaces or participating in local environmental initiatives,” said Sue Knott, Education Specialist with MAITC, a program of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). “It’s clear he is creating a lasting impact in both the classroom and throughout the broader community.” 

Reflecting on his work, Lund shared “Witnessing students’ transformation into proactive environmental stewards over the past four years has been incredibly rewarding. It has reinforced my belief in the power of experiential learning to inspire real-world change and has motivated me to continue integrating environmental education and agriculture into our curriculum.” 

Lund credits programs like Ag in the Classroom, Lettuce Grow, Action for Healthy Kids, and Farm to School with helping him to bring authentic agriculture experiences into the classroom. “Through all of these different experiences, it is my goal to give students many opportunities to build life skills and a love of life-long learning and growing,” says Lund.

from left to right: Keri Sidle, Nathan Lund, and Sue Knott. Keri and Sue are presenting Mr. Lund with his award.

All licensed Minnesota K-12 educators who creatively integrate agricultural into non-agricultural subjects are eligible for the MAITC Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. As this year’s winner, Lund will receive $500 plus support to attend the National Ag in the Classroom Conference taking place in Minneapolis, MN, June 23-26. 

MAITC is a partnership between the MDA and the MAITC Foundation that seeks to increase agricultural literacy through K-12 education. For free educational resources and to learn more about the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award, visit the MAITC website. 

###

Media Contact 
Nikki Warner, MDA Communications
651-238-7909
Nikki.Warner@state.mn.us

  1. Home
  2. Search

Renewable chemicals include polymers, plastics, and other formulated products produced from agricultural biomass, forestry

Kaden Dahlager

Finance & Budget
651-201-6025
Kaden.Dahlager@state.mn.us

Andrew Decker

Plant Protection
Andrew.Decker@state.mn.us
AGRI Bioincentive Program
Advanced Biofuel
Biomass Thermal Energy
2023 Crop Year Fertilizer Sales Report18.78 MB

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • Page 1727
  • Page 1728
  • Page 1729
  • Page 1730
  • Current page 1731
  • Page 1732
  • Page 1733
  • Page 1734
  • Page 1735
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »
Follow us
Like Us
Email Updates
View Videos

Contact the MDA

625 Robert Street North
Saint Paul, MN 55155-2538

Phone: 651-201-6000
Toll Free: 800-967-2474
711 TTY

Ask MDA

Resources

  • Ag in the Classroom
  • Accessibility/Web Policies
  • Careers, Human Resources
  • Data Requests
  • Download Adobe Reader
  • Non-Discrimination Plan
  • ~ Txoj Kev Npaj Tsis Sib Haum Xeeb
  • ~ Qorshaha takoor la'aanta
  • ~ Plan de no discriminación
  • Visitors & Parking

About

  • Commissioner's Office
  • Communications/Media
  • Events
  • Government Relations
  • MDA Agency Overview
  • Staff Directory
  • Tribal Relations
Enter the terms you wish to search for.
mn register to vote

 

© Copyright 2025 Minnesota Department of Agriculture