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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for a new grant program to help strengthen Minnesota’s food supply chain.

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Grant Program offers competitive grants for Minnesota businesses and organizations operating middle-of-the-food-supply-chain activities that support local agricultural products. Up to $9.6 million in funding is available as part of a cooperative agreement awarded to the MDA by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

Grants will fund projects that expand capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transportation, wholesaling, or distribution of locally and regionally produced food intended for human consumption, including specialty crops, dairy, grains, aquaculture, and other food products (except meat and poultry, as they are funded through other programs). Awards will be between $100,000 and $3 million, and a 50% match of the total project cost is required.

“The RFSI program will allow us to enhance Minnesota’s food supply chain infrastructure and increase market opportunities for producers; bolster support for our food businesses; and expand consumer access to fresh, local foods,” said Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We thank USDA for their partnership, and we look forward to working with grant recipients to build resilient local and regional food systems that benefit all Minnesotans.”

Examples of eligible projects include — but are not limited to — building a new cold storage facility, updating or expanding an existing processing facility, purchasing and installing new equipment, making facility upgrades that enhance worker safety, and improving capacity to comply with food safety regulations. The grant program will prioritize projects that involve dairy, annual and perennial grains, fruits and vegetables, dry beans, or aquaculture as well as projects submitted by farmer- and worker-owned enterprises and cooperatives.

A variety of entities operating in the middle of the supply chain are eligible to apply, including: 

• Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors (including cooperatives or associations) 
• Small for-profit businesses 
• Nonprofit organizations 
• Local and tribal government entities 
• Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals  

Additional consideration and a reduced 25% match requirement will be given to eligible applicants who are historically underserved farmers and ranchers; small and underserved business owners; and other businesses that qualify under the U.S. Small Business Administration categories of small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, and veteran-owned small business.

Applications must be received by 4 p.m. on April 3, 2024, to be considered for funding. Visit the MDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant web page for full program and application details, as well as information on technical assistance available for developing grant proposals.

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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 emerald ash borer (EAB) in Crow Wing County for the first time. There are now 48 counties in the state, including Crow Wing, with EAB.

A suspected EAB infestation was discovered near Brainerd in Crow Wing County. EAB larvae was later found, and samples were collected by MDA staff. Federal identification confirmed the samples as emerald ash borer.

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. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. 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 Crow Wing County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county. The quarantine limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.

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 Crow Wing County will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2024, 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:
February 8, 2024
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 Crow Wing County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through March 11, 2024, and recommends adopting the quarantine on March 13, 2024. 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