Search

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is gathering ideas as the agency considers the state’s next biennial budget, and we want your input. Farmers, businesses, and others impacted by food and agriculture systems are all invited to share policy, funding, and program suggestions.

The MDA is hosting two virtual public input sessions where people can share their ideas directly, in addition to an online form for written submissions open through August 16, 2024.

The two sessions will take place on Zoom. Participation is free, but registration is required. The sessions are scheduled for:

• Monday, August 12, from noon – 1 p.m. Register for this event.
• Tuesday, August 13, from 5 – 6 p.m. Register for this event.

The Minnesota Legislature appropriates funds for the MDA and related agricultural activities through a two-year budget bill that is part of the state’s overall government funding.

State budgets are set in legislative sessions that take place in odd-numbered years and are sometimes revised during sessions in even-numbered years. The next legislative session begins on January 14, 2025, and will determine the next two-year state budget.

Information about the MDA’s mission, leadership, and responsibilities is available on our website.

###

Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us  

Farmfest 2024 attendees should plan to visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) exhibit for information on a wide variety of agriculture-related programs and resources. Farmfest is Tuesday, August 6, through Thursday, August 8, 2024, at the Historic Gilfillan Estate near Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

Featured programs include:

• Rural Finance Authority Loan Programs – Get information on low- to zero-interest loans to help recover from natural disasters, improve farm facilities, restructure debt, expand livestock production, and help first-time farmers purchase land.
• Grant Programs – Learn more about MDA grant programs available to help increase productivity, improve efficiency, develop new agricultural products, and more.
• Ag Weather Station Network – See how you can get real-time weather information, crop evaporation data, various disease risks, irrigation scheduling, and air temperature inversion alerts to your cell phone via the 38 Minnesota weather stations incorporated into the North Dakota Ag Weather Network (NDAWN), and view the network’s recent expansion thanks to additional funding from the Minnesota Legislature.
• Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program – Discover how you can become certified in this popular water quality program and obtain regulatory certainty for a period of ten years, all to help protect our water.
• Rural Mental Health Resources – Find out about the people and organizations ready to help farmers and their families deal with stress, depression, and suicide.

The MDA Farmfest Booth is #517S.

###

Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-387-6599
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us  

Minnesotans are invited to celebrate the bounty of the harvest season during Farmers’ Market Week, taking place August 4-10, 2024, as proclaimed by Governor Tim Walz.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) — in partnership with the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association, Minnesota Grown, Minnesota Farmers Union, and Land Stewardship Project — will recognize the week with an event at the Lincoln Park Farmers’ Market in Duluth on Thursday, August 8.

“Everyone deserves to have access to fresh, nutritious foods, and farmers’ markets across Minnesota help make this a possibility,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Thank you to the organizers, workers, producers, and vendors who work tirelessly to make these markets happen and bring more locally grown items to their neighbors.”

“The health department is committed to reducing instances of preventable chronic diseases, and we know that eating more fruits and vegetables is a big part of helping make that happen,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham. “Not only are farmers’ markets places for producers to sell directly to shoppers and improve access to healthy foods, but they also contribute to the wellbeing of a community by providing greater social connection. We celebrate these spaces this week and thank all of those partners who help make these opportunities possible.”

The Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association reports there are currently 375 farmers’ markets and over 10,000 market vendors in Minnesota and the tribal nations within the state. These markets provide essential food access programs that increase the accessibility and affordability of fresh, locally grown food, including SNAP EBT, Market Bucks, and others. Additionally, with the growing adoption of produce prescription programs like Veggie Rx, health care providers are collaborating with farms and farmers’ markets to provide more locally grown foods to people whose health could improve with access to a healthier diet.

Activities at the Lincoln Park celebration will include shopping with over 25 local vendors, live music, family-friendly activities, giveaways, a free community meal, and presentations from dignitaries including MDH Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham. Festivities will start as the market opens at 3 p.m. and culminate with the community meal.

National Farmers’ Market Week is a yearly celebration sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which highlights the value markets bring to communities and the important role they play in the U.S. food system. Each year, farmers’ markets across Minnesota participate in the event by creating their own independent celebrations.

The Lincoln Park Farmers’ Market is run by Community Action Duluth (CAD) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Duluth, MN, every Thursday from mid-June to the end of September from 3-6 p.m. at Harrison Park, and once monthly indoors October-March.

CAD’s mission is to empower and engage the community to eliminate poverty. Through partnerships, people with low incomes find support, resources, and relationships that help them overcome economic, racial, and cultural barriers to establishing and maintaining self-sufficient and connected lives.

The Lincoln Park Farmers’ Market acts not only as a place for residents to access healthy local food, but also as an engine for community connection that contributes to the social and economic vitality of the neighborhood. Market goers participate in a variety of programs that provide healthy food access for youth, people over 60, and SNAP participants. There is so much fun to be had at the market including live music every week, cooking demos, family friendly activities, and special programming days such as Bike to the Market, Jamboree, and Salsa Days. Learn more at www.communityactionduluth.org.

The Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA) provides services, programs, and leadership that support and promote farmers’ markets across Minnesota. The organization works to foster a community of vibrant, profitable, and professionally managed Minnesota farmers’ markets that cultivate, nourish, and inspire a vibrant local foods landscape. The MFMA vision is to create greater accessibility to local, farm-fresh foods and to allow opportunities for local food producers to thrive and grow. Find their statewide map of markets at www.mfma.org.

Minnesota Grown is a program of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to promote products grown and raised in Minnesota. For over 40 years the program has connected consumers with local farmers, farmers’ markets, and other agricultural producers through resources like the Minnesota Grown directory, a searchable map of over 1,000 local farms, markets, and producers. The program also licenses the use of the Minnesota Grown label to Minnesota producers and retailers. Anywhere you see the Minnesota Grown logo, you can have confidence that product was grown or raised within the state. Find local near you at minnesotagrown.com.

Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. MFU is a nonprofit membership-based organization. Membership is open to everyone. Learn more and join at www.mfu.org, and follow MFU on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering an ethic of stewardship for farmland, promoting sustainable agriculture, and developing healthy communities in the food and farming system. LSP has offices in the Minnesota communities of Montevideo, Lewiston, and South Minneapolis. Learn more and join at landstewardshipproject.org.

###

Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

Minnesota farmer’s markets participating in food assistance programs are eligible to apply for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) new Senior Farmers’ Market Cost-Share and Food Assistance Cost-Share programs.

The Senior Farmers’ Market Cost-Share Program is open to Minnesota markets that are authorized to participate in the federal Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) in 2024. It reimburses expenses related to helping increase SFMNP benefit redemption, including technology upgrades and transportation costs for bringing senior participants to the farmers’ market.

A total of $50,000 is available for Senior Farmers’ Market Cost-Share Program reimbursements, capped at $1,000 per market association. Funding is provided through a USDA SFMNP American Rescue Plan Act Grant.

The Food Assistance Cost-Share Program offers reimbursement for expenses directly related to operating food assistance programs such as Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, staff time and volunteer stipends, program specific signage, printing of program tokens or other program materials, and storage.

One-time funding of $200,000 is available for the Food Assistance Cost-Share Program reimbursements, capped at $1,500 per market association.

Markets can apply to reimburse eligible costs incurred between July 1, 2024, and June 1, 2025. The MDA will review and fund eligible requests on a first-come, first-served basis until the application deadline of June 1, 2025, or until all funds are dispersed, whichever comes first.

For full details on eligibility and how to apply, visit the MDA’s Farmers’ Market Cost-Share programs webpage. 

###

Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

Minnesota schools, early childhood education (ECE) centers, and family child care providers looking to serve more locally sourced meals and snacks can apply for funding now available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Farm to School and Early Care grant and cost-share programs.

The First Bite Farm to School and Early Care Grant is intended for Minnesota K-12 school districts and ECE centers that have little to no experience with local food procurement, and is intended to be an intentional learning process for the applicant. Applicants may request a minimum of $2,500 and a maximum of $5,000 in funding, with no match requirement.

The Full Tray Farm to School and Early Care Grant is intended for school districts and ECE centers that have some Farm to School and Early Care procurement experience and want to expand their local food offerings. Applicants may request up to $35,000 based on the number of meals served as a part of federal meal programs, with a 1:1 match requirement.

Applicants for both the First Bite and Full Tray grants may also apply for an Equipment Grant, which provides up to $25,000 for kitchen equipment purchases to support Farm to School and Early Care programs, with a 1:1 match requirement. Schools and ECE centers may not apply only for equipment grants.

New for this round of funding is the Local Tots Cost-Share, which expands the MDA’s Farm to School and Early Care offerings to Minnesota family child care providers that want to purchase and serve Minnesota-grown or -raised foods as a part of their meals and snacks. This cost-share will reimburse providers for their purchases of eligible food products, and no match is required. This program is only available to providers who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

“Farm to School and Early Care programs connect students with fresh, exciting menu items while supporting our farmers and local food systems,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “I’m excited that MDA grant funding is now accessible for family child care providers, helping ensure that more of Minnesota’s kids get to build connections to nutritious, local foods from a young age.”

The MDA will award a total of approximately $1,051,875 across all Farm to School and Early Care programs for fiscal year 2025. Approximately $100,000 of this amount is expected to be awarded to the Local Tots Cost-Share program, with the remaining funds going towards First Bite and Full Tray grants.

Grant applications and cost-share letters of intent must be submitted by 4 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Visit the Farm to School and Early Care Programs webpage for full eligibility and application details for each funding opportunity.

Funding for the Farm to School and Early Care programs is made available through the MDA’s Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout Minnesota to advance the state’s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.

###

Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

St. Paul, MN: The elm zigzag sawfly, an invasive insect new to Minnesota, was recently discovered. The elm zigzag sawfly was reported by a citizen on iNaturalist, and later spotted on the platform by an out-of-state college student working on the insect.

Best management practices are also unknown. However, since most trees can recover, management may not be necessary. Currently, there is research being done at North Carolina State on insecticide applications.

More information on the elm zigzag sawfly is available on the North Carolina State website.

Since the elm zigzag sawfly is newly discovered in Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) would like to better understand where this insect may be in the state. Residents can report suspected sightings of the insect to the MDA’s Report a Pest line or call 1-888-545-6684. Please include clear photos when submitting a report online.

###

Contact
Brittany Raveill
MDA Communications
Brittany.raveill@state.mn.us
651-201-6131

Minnesota retail grocery and liquor stores that offer Minnesota-grown and -raised products to their customers are encouraged to enter the 2024-2025 Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year contest, which is now open for entries through October 11, 2024.

Organized by Minnesota Grown and the Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA), the contest awards stores across the state for their creative displays that celebrate and encourage sampling of products from Minnesota Grown farmers and producers, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, cheese and dairy, packaged goods, wine, cider, beer, and spirits.

Entrants will stage a one-week showcase from now through September 30, 2024, hosting a focused promotional effort in their store and other related marketing activities highlighting Minnesota Grown products. Winners will be selected from six regions in the state, and a single statewide winner is selected for beer, wine, and spirits promotion. A highly competitive People’s Choice Award is also decided in part through public voting on the Minnesota Grown Facebook page.

Winners in each category will receive exclusive rights to a “Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year” logo for all of 2025, inclusion in contest promotional materials, and a commemorative plaque presented at an MGA Awards Luncheon in spring 2025.

“The Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year Contest provides the chance for businesses to shine a light on locally grown and raised products right as farmers in their communities enter the peak of harvest season,” said Rachel Wandrei, marketing manager for Minnesota Grown. “We look forward to seeing the innovative displays and promotions from this year’s entries, and celebrating the employees, farmers, and consumers who contribute to their success.”

“Grocers are the foundation of the communities they serve and are incredibly proud of our innovative local partnerships from farm to fork,” said MGA President Patrick Garofalo. “The Minnesota Grown program is driven by the exceptional efforts of all in the food industry. We are proud to play a role in this collective effort that showcases and celebrates innovative partnerships and brings wonderful local products to our customers.”

For full contest and entry details, visit the Retailer of the Year contest webpage. Retailer entries must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024, through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s online grants portal. Winners will be announced in early 2025.

Contact Jennifer Alexander at jennifer.j.alexander@state.mn.us with any questions about the contest or submission process.

Minnesota Grown is a program of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to promote products grown and raised in Minnesota. The program has connected consumers with local farmers, farmers’ markets, and other producers of agricultural products near them for over 35 years. The Minnesota Grown Directory at minnesotagrown.com is a searchable map of over 1,000 local farms, markets, and producers across the state. The program also licenses the use of the Minnesota Grown label to Minnesota producers and retailers. Anywhere you see the Minnesota Grown logo, you can have confidence that product was grown or raised within the state. Find local near you in our directory of over 1,000 farms and markets at minnesotagrown.com.

The Minnesota Grocers Association is the only state trade association that represents the food industry of Minnesota from farm to fork. It has served the industry for over 125 years, with over 300 retail, manufacturer, and wholesale members supporting nearly 1,300 locations statewide. MGA member companies employ over 150,000 union and non-union Minnesotans. It actively advances the common interest of all those engaged in any aspect of the food industry as a leader and advocate in government affairs.

###

Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us