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November 2, 2023
As part of a continued effort to strengthen support available to Minnesota’s emerging farmers, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced recipients of grant funding for organizations that provide business and technical support to farmers from historically underserved communities.
Through the Emerging Farmer Technical Assistance Grant Program, eight organizations have received a total of $554,920 in one-time grants. Grant funds can be used to provide technical and culturally appropriate services to emerging farmers, and to pay up to 65% of emerging farmers’ premium expenses under the USDA Micro Farm Crop Insurance program.
“Agriculture is a cornerstone of Minnesota’s economy, but it can be hard to find an entryway to this important and fulfilling work for beginning and emerging farmers,” said MDA Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey. “We’re thankful for these eight organizations and their efforts to provide technical assistance to Minnesota’s emerging farmers, helping them overcome barriers and challenges in farming.”
Forty percent of this funding will go directly to farmers supported by these organizations in the form of scholarships, stipends, mileage reimbursements, and crop insurance premium payments. A full list of grant recipients and their support activities can be found below.
The funding comes in response to the MDA’s Emerging Farmers’ Working Group and first-of-its-kind Emerging Farmers Office, which have identified technical assistance as one of the top needs for emerging farmers. Technical assistance includes helping with record keeping, financial statements, business plans, licenses and regulations, land access, applying for grants and loans, sales and marketing, and other business support.
Emerging farmers include farmers who are American Indian or Alaskan Natives, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, members of a community of color, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, or any other emerging farmers as determined by the commissioner of agriculture.
Visit the MDA website for more information on the Emerging Farmer Technical Assistance Grant Program.
| Org Name | Project Summary | Headquarters | Award Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
AgCentric |
Scholarships and outreach for emerging farmers to enroll in Farm Business Management Programs at state colleges. | Staples | $50,000 |
| Farm Commons | Legal and other business support (workshops and one-on-one support) for farmers in Nagaajiwanaang (Fond du Lac Reservation); also helping farmers enroll in and providing premium payment support for USDA’s Micro Farm Crop Insurance. | Duluth | $47,896 |
| Forty Acre Cooperative | 10-week business mentorship program and rural networking opportunities for BIPOC farmers. | Willow River | $68,850 |
| Friendly Hmong Farms | One-on-one business coaching and marketing support for direct-market farmers’ market farmers. | Minnetonka | $67,224 |
| Kilimo Minnesota | One-on-one mentorship for farmers of African descent, expanding capacity of existing incubator farm program. | Cambridge | $99,993 |
| Land Stewardship Project | Providing group classes and one-on-one business mentorship in English and Spanish; also helping farmers enroll and providing premium payment support for USDA’s Micro Farm Crop Insurance. | Minneapolis | $53,189 |
| MN Farmers' Market Association | Helping farmers navigate USDA’s Micro Farm Crop Insurance and supporting farmers with the insurance premium payments. | Nerstrand | $100,000 |
| Renewing the Countryside | Training and supporting 10 farmers’ market food hub managers around the state to provide marketing, food safety, and licensing support for farmers. | Hammond | $67,768 |
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
Congratulations! You’ve been awarded the AGRI Minnesota Value-Added Grant.
Congratulations! You’ve been awarded an AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant.
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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Rural Finance Authority (RFA) is now accepting applic
June 30, 2023
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Lyon County for the first time. There are now 41 counties in the state, including Lyon, with EAB.
A homeowner contacted the City of Marshall about a possible EAB infestation. The city superintendent inspected the tree of concern and recognized EAB galleries and other signs from trainings. MDA staff were able to find EAB larvae and collect samples. Federal identification confirmed 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 Lyon County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county, which 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 Lyon County will be held on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.
Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meeting:
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
2 – 3 p.m.
Register at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab
The public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Lyon County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through August 15, 2023, and recommends adopting the quarantine on August 17, 2023. 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
Lyon County EAB Emergency Quarantine511.01 KB
