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Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen today released the annual list of top Minnesota dairy herds with low somatic cell counts (SCC). Somatic cell count is a key indicator of milk quality – a lower SCC count is better for cheese production and a longer shelf life for bottled milk.

In honor of National Dairy Month, 90 Minnesota dairy farms are being recognized for their superior herd management skills by achieving an average SCC of under 100,000.

“We applaud these farmers’ efforts to maintain high milk quality standards, especially in the face of new and ongoing challenges,” Petersen said. “Their success is a testament to these farms’ resilience, and a major accomplishment.”

Although somatic cells occur naturally and are not a food safety concern, dairy farmers monitor them because they can be used as a measure of the health of their cows. Processors also pay a premium for milk with low counts. A farmer whose herd has a very low count can receive a higher price per hundredweight compared to a farmer whose herd average is high.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of Minnesota dairy experts have worked with the state’s dairy farmers for 20 years to lower somatic cell counts. When the initiative began in 2003, the herds honored that year included those with SCC averages as high as 144,000, compared to the current goal of obtaining a SCC under 100,000.

Visit our website to see the SCC list of Minnesota dairy farms. Producers on the list were nominated by their dairy plants.

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Media Contact
Larry Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6629
Larry.Schumacher@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Pope County for the first time. There are now 52 counties in the state, including Pope, with EAB.

A county ag inspector noticed several declining ash trees with woodpecker holes on a landowner’s property in Glenwood Township and contacted the MDA to investigate. EAB larvae was later found, and samples were collected by MDA staff.

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 Pope 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 Pope County will be held on Thursday, June 20, 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:
June 20, 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 Pope County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through July 26, 2024, and recommends adopting the quarantine on July 29, 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

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced the latest recipients of its Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant, awarding nearly $350,000 to 12 projects across the state focused on researching sustainable ag practices and systems.

The Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant funds innovative research or demonstration projects that explore the energy efficiency, environmental benefit, and profitability of sustainable agriculture techniques — from the production through marketing processes — on Minnesota farms.

Topics being researched by this year’s grantees range from cover cropping, solar land access, in-row weeding systems, biocontrol techniques, and cut flower production. An overview of each awarded project is provided in the table below.

Grant project updates are published annually in the MDA’s Greenbook, which provides a summary of each active project along with results, management tips, locations of previous projects, and other resources to help encourage widespread adoption of sustainable practices.

The next round of Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grants will open for applications in the fall of 2024. Visit the grant webpage for updates and more information on previous projects.

Funding for this program 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
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us