October 10, 2025
Residents in and around Mille Lacs County can get their private well water tested for free at a one-day clinic hosted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) in partnership with the Minnesota Well Owners Organization and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
Nitrate contamination is one of the most common threats to drinking water in rural Minnesota. It’s colorless, odorless, and tasteless. But at high levels, it poses serious health risks, particularly for infants and pregnant women.
Contamination is most common in agricultural regions with sandy soils, karst geology, or fractured bedrock aquifers. Wells that are shallow, damaged, or older are especially vulnerable.
Federal health guidelines consider water with nitrate levels above 10 mg/L unsafe to drink. In 2024, MDA water clinic testing of more than 2,400 private wells found that 6% exceeded this limit. Even new wells aren’t immune. About 4% have nitrate concentrations above 3 mg/L—an early warning sign that human sources of contamination are present and that the level may rise over time.
The Minnesota Department of Health recommends annual testing for nitrate and other contaminants in all private wells. Municipal water supplies are tested and treated regularly, but private well owners are responsible for their own water safety.
Testing your water is quick, easy, and confidential. Just follow these steps:
- Run your cold tap for 5–10 minutes
- Collect at least one cup of water in a clean, sealed container
- Keep the sample cool
- Bring it to the clinic during open hours
Clinic attendees will receive on-the-spot results and personalized guidance—at no cost.
Mille Lacs County Well Water Testing Clinic
Thursday, Oct. 23
11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Baadwewidang Community Center
43500 Virgo Road
Onamia, MN 56359
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Media Contact
Cynthia Moothart, MDA Communications
Cynthia.Moothart@state.mn.us
651-420-2637
- The MDA worked with our nursery advisory group to create the single fee schedule.
- Our goal was to keep overall program revenue about the same before and after the change.
- We expect that small-sized nursery businesses will see some reduction in the fee paid, medium-sized businesses will see little change, and large nursery businesses may see some increase.
How will this change the cost of my certificate?
- The MDA worked with our nursery advisory group to create the single fee schedule.
- Our goal was to keep overall program revenue about the same before and after the change.
- We expect that small-sized nursery businesses will see some reduction in the fee paid, medium-sized businesses will see little change, and large nursery businesses may see some increase.
The renewal fee is based on a combination of three factors:
- $50 base certificate fee is charged per sales location (one certificate per sales site)
- If you grow Nursery Stock (see definition below), it must be inspected. The fee is $100 plus $10 per growing acre, up to 200 acres.
- If you purchase and resell Finished Nursery Stock (see definition below), a fee is assessed based on your gross annual purchases of that stock during 2025 (see table below). We are no longer collecting information on gross annual sales.
Additional Fees:
- A 5% processing surcharge (minimum $5.00) on the base certificate fee will be included in accordance with Minnesota Statute 17.033.
- A credit card payment includes a 3% transaction fee.
- If you renew your certificate after December 31, a late fee penalty of 25% will be added to the cost.
Definitions:
- Nursery Stock: Any plant or plant part that can be propagated, grown, and overwintered outdoors in Minnesota, including but not limited to trees, shrubs, vines, woody and herbaceous perennials, cold hardy bulbs, biennials, grafts, cuttings, and buds.
- Nursery Stock Grown: Seeds, bare roots, or small plants purchased and actively grown in pots or in the ground to increase their size or quantity.
- Finished Nursery Stock: A finished product purchased with the intent to resell as-is within the same year. Nursery Stock that was purchased the previous year and overwintered for resale does not qualify you as a grower.
| Gross Annual Purchases | Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $3,000 | $0 |
| $3,001 to $10,000 | $50 |
| $10,001 to $20,000 | $100 |
| $20,001 to $50,000 | $225 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $425 |
| $100,001 to $150,000 | $600 |
| $150,001 to $200,000 | $750 |
| $200,001 to $300,000 | $975 |
| $300,001 to $400,000 | $1,200 |
| $400,001 to $500,000 | $1,250 |
| $500,001 to $600,000 | $1,350 |
| $600,001 to $700,000 | $1,400 |
| $700,001 to $800,000 | $1,500 |
| $800,001 to $900,000 | $1,600 |
| $900,001 to $1,000,000 | $1,700 |
| $1,000,001 to $2,000,000 | $1,800 |
| $2,000,001 to $3,000,000 | $1,900 |
| $3,000,001 or more | .0005 x annual purchases |
How is the fee calculated?
The renewal fee is based on a combination of three factors:
- $50 base certificate fee is charged per sales location (one certificate per sales site)
- If you grow Nursery Stock (see definition below), it must be inspected. The fee is $100 plus $10 per growing acre, up to 200 acres.
- If you purchase and resell Finished Nursery Stock (see definition below), a fee is assessed based on your gross annual purchases of that stock during 2025 (see table below). We are no longer collecting information on gross annual sales.
Additional Fees:
- A 5% processing surcharge (minimum $5.00) on the base certificate fee will be included in accordance with Minnesota Statute 17.033.
- A credit card payment includes a 3% transaction fee.
- If you renew your certificate after December 31, a late fee penalty of 25% will be added to the cost.
Definitions:
- Nursery Stock: Any plant or plant part that can be propagated, grown, and overwintered outdoors in Minnesota, including but not limited to trees, shrubs, vines, woody and herbaceous perennials, cold hardy bulbs, biennials, grafts, cuttings, and buds.
- Nursery Stock Grown: Seeds, bare roots, or small plants purchased and actively grown in pots or in the ground to increase their size or quantity.
- Finished Nursery Stock: A finished product purchased with the intent to resell as-is within the same year. Nursery Stock that was purchased the previous year and overwintered for resale does not qualify you as a grower.
| Gross Annual Purchases | Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $3,000 | $0 |
| $3,001 to $10,000 | $50 |
| $10,001 to $20,000 | $100 |
| $20,001 to $50,000 | $225 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $425 |
| $100,001 to $150,000 | $600 |
| $150,001 to $200,000 | $750 |
| $200,001 to $300,000 | $975 |
| $300,001 to $400,000 | $1,200 |
| $400,001 to $500,000 | $1,250 |
| $500,001 to $600,000 | $1,350 |
| $600,001 to $700,000 | $1,400 |
| $700,001 to $800,000 | $1,500 |
| $800,001 to $900,000 | $1,600 |
| $900,001 to $1,000,000 | $1,700 |
| $1,000,001 to $2,000,000 | $1,800 |
| $2,000,001 to $3,000,000 | $1,900 |
| $3,000,001 or more | .0005 x annual purchases |
Nonprofits, Municipalities, and exceptions
If my business is a non-profit or a municipality do, I still need a certificate?
Yes, nonprofit organizations need a certificate, but may be exempt from paying certificate fees if ALL the following are met:
- Sells or distributes Certified Nursery Stock on ten or fewer days in a calendar year; and
- Uses the proceeds from Certified Nursery Stock sales or distribution for nonprofit purposes; and
- Provide 501(c)(3) documentation
Yes, municipalities need a certificate, but may be exempt from paying certificate fees if ALL the following are met:
- All Nursery Stock offered for sale or distributed is intended for planting on public property, or public easements in the municipality; and
- Nursery Stock purchased for resale or distribution is grown in Minnesota and has been certified.
I run a very small business and don’t always sell a lot of Nursery stock. Do I still need a certificate?
To qualify for an Occasional Sales Exemption, an Individual must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- Sell less than $1,000 of nursery stock per year
- All stock sold is intended for planting in Minnesota
- All of the stock was grown in Minnesota by the seller
- Stock is sold on 10 or fewer days per year
If my business is a non-profit or a municipality do, I still need a certificate?
Yes, nonprofit organizations need a certificate, but may be exempt from paying certificate fees if ALL the following are met:
- Sells or distributes Certified Nursery Stock on ten or fewer days in a calendar year; and
- Uses the proceeds from Certified Nursery Stock sales or distribution for nonprofit purposes; and
- Provide 501(c)(3) documentation
Yes, municipalities need a certificate, but may be exempt from paying certificate fees if ALL the following are met:
- All Nursery Stock offered for sale or distributed is intended for planting on public property, or public easements in the municipality; and
- Nursery Stock purchased for resale or distribution is grown in Minnesota and has been certified.
I run a very small business and don’t always sell a lot of Nursery stock. Do I still need a certificate?
To qualify for an Occasional Sales Exemption, an Individual must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- Sell less than $1,000 of nursery stock per year
- All stock sold is intended for planting in Minnesota
- All of the stock was grown in Minnesota by the seller
- Stock is sold on 10 or fewer days per year
You can track your gross nursery stock purchases by tallying your annual nursery stock purchase receipts. You can also ask your suppliers for an invoice of all your nursery stock purchases each fall.
Do not include tax, shipping, or handling in your total.
