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Minnesota livestock product processors seeking to start-up, modernize, or expand their businesses are encouraged to apply for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing (MPEM) Grant.

Funded through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the intent of the MPEM Grant is to increase sales of Minnesota-raised livestock products by investing in equipment and physical improvements that support processing, capacity, market diversification, and market access.

The MDA anticipates awarding up to $750,000 in 2024 MPEM Grants using a competitive review process. The maximum award amount is $150,000, and the minimum award amount is $1,000. Grantees are responsible for 50% of the first $50,000 of project expenses, and 75% of the total remaining costs above $50,000.

Individuals (including farmers), businesses, agricultural cooperatives, nonprofits, educational institutions, local unit of governments, or tribal governments that intend to be or are engaged with livestock slaughter or processing are eligible for the MPEM Grant. Projects focused on meat and poultry processing, especially slaughtering, will be prioritized in this round of funding.

Grant applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. For further information and to submit your online application, visit the AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant web page.

This call for MPEM Grant applications follows a previous round of applications announced in fall 2023. Recipients of the 2023 MPEM Grants will be announced at a forthcoming date.

Funding for the MPEM Grant is made available through the MDA's 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.

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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 Renville and Pine counties for the first time. There are now 50 counties in the state with EAB.

These finds are attributed to EAB surveys being conducted this fall and winter by the MDA in nearly 100 Minnesota communities. The MDA was awarded a grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service to conduct these surveys, which will assist communities in their efforts to protect forests. Surveying will continue through spring.

In Renville County, EAB infestations were found in the town of Danube along Highway 212. In Pine County, EAB infestations were found in the town of Rock Creek along Highway 70 in the southern portion of the county.

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.

To slow the spread of EAB, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of Renville and Pine counties. Quarantines limit the movement of firewood, mulch, and all ash material out of the quarantined areas.

A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in these counties will be held on Thursday, March 7, 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:
March 7, 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 these county emergency quarantines to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantines now through April 12, 2024, and recommends adopting the quarantines on April 15, 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