Feast! Local Foods Marketplace 2024
30 Civic Center Dr SE
Rochester, MN 55904
Brian.J.Erickson@state.mn.us
612-246-5149
Erika Camplin
Erika.Camplin@state.mn.us
651-201-6257
Support local farmers and food-makers at this year's Feast! Local Foods Festival. Sample artisan-crafted products, stock up on your favorites, and find fantastic gifts for the foodies in your life. Don't miss the cooking demonstrations, kids' activities, music, and prizes that make this one-day non-profit event the place to be.
The FEAST! Local Foods Network is a partnership of many organizations, businesses, and individuals committed to growing a sustainable, local, and regional food system which encourages innovation.
2025 Minnesota Organic Conference
10 4th Ave S
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Each year, we host this conference and tradeshow for farmers and others interested in organic agriculture. Join us for two days of networking, learning, and great food.
St. Paul, MN: New money is available to Minnesota livestock producers to help prevent wolf attacks. A total of $45,000 will be awarded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) through the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants. Applications are due January 3, 2025.
The grants provide reimbursement for costs of approved practices to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts. Only costs incurred after entering into a grant agreement with the MDA are eligible for reimbursement. Eligible expenses for the grant program will include:
- Purchase of guard animals
- Veterinary costs for guard animals
- Wolf-barriers which may include pens
- Fladry and fencing
- Wolf-deterring lights and alarms
- Calving or lambing shelters
Eligible producers must live within Minnesota’s wolf range, as designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or on property determined by the Commissioner of Agriculture to be affected by wolf-livestock conflicts. Any animal species produced for profit and documented to have been killed by wolves in Minnesota in the past is eligible. This includes bison, cattle, chicken, deer, donkey, duck, geese, goat, horse, llama, mule, sheep, swine, and turkey.
The funding also requires an 80:20 matching cost-share, meaning 80% of eligible project costs will be reimbursed by the grant and the remaining 20% will be paid for by the grantee.
The grant application must be emailed or postmarked by 5 p.m. on January 3, 2025. Work for this grant must be done and expenses reported by October 31, 2025. The application and more information can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/wolfgrants.
This round of funding for the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants is made possible by monies appropriated by the Minnesota Legislature and funding awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the MDA for grant distribution.
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Media Contact
Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
brittany.raveill@state.mn.us
Below are common questions about Farm to School and Early Care food safety.
October is Farm to School and Early Care Month, a time to celebrate food education, school gardens, and lunch trays filled with healthy, locally sourced foods from Minnesota’s producers.
In recognition of this month, today the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) unveiled the state’s first-ever Farm to Kids Strategic Plan. Developed collaboratively by Farm to School and Early Care partners across Minnesota, this plan is a 5-year roadmap for advancing local procurement and agricultural education in K-12 schools and early care settings.
Using insights collected from robust stakeholder engagement with producers, school food service professionals, educators, early care providers, youth, and other members of the public, the Farm to Kids Strategic Plan outlines specific goals, strategies, and actions for future Farm to School and Early Care efforts. The high-level priorities of the plan include:
- Increase purchases of Minnesota-grown and -raised foods by schools and early care settings.
- Improve integration of food and agricultural education in classrooms, cafeterias, and other educational environments.
- Build and activate a strong Farm to Kids network to foster shared, collaborative leadership among Farm to School and Early Care partners.
“For over a decade, state agencies, institutions, and organizations have been working together to support and expand participation in Farm to School and Early Care programs within Minnesota,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We thank all partners — including producers, school staff, and early care providers — for successfully bringing more local foods to students, and we look forward to further progress thanks to the steps outlined in the new Farm to Kids Strategic Plan.”
“Kids who receive nutritious foods at school are kids who are ready learn and grow,” said Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett. “By connecting our youngest learners with fresh, locally grown foods, we’re not only fueling their bodies but also planting the seeds for a lifetime of healthy choices. This program is about more than what’s on the plate — it’s about building stronger communities and ensuring that Minnesota’s children thrive both in and out of the classroom.”
The MDA will host two free webinars via Microsoft Teams to provide an in-depth overview of the strategic plan for interested members of the public, scheduled for:
- Thursday, October 24, 3-4 p.m.
Register for this event. - Tuesday, October 29, 6-7 p.m.
Register for this event.
To review the full Farm to Kids Strategic Plan and learn more about Farm to School and Early Care in Minnesota, visit the MDA website.
Partners in developing and implementing the plan include the Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Department of Health, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Land Stewardship Project, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Renewing the Countryside, University of Minnesota Extension, and additional members of the Minnesota Farm to School Leadership Team and Minnesota Farm to Early Care Advisory Group.
The development of the Farm to Kids Strategic Plan was funded by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant received by the MDA.
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
November Food Safety and Defense Task Force Meeting
The Governor's Food Safety and Defense Task Force has continuously met since 1990 to discuss issues affecting Minnesota's food system. The Task Force is composed of seventeen members, ten of whom are appointed by the Governor's office, representing food regulatory agencies, agricultural industries, food-related non-profit associations, and the University of Minnesota. Meetings of the Task Force are held every other month and are open to anyone interested.
Task force meetings are held in conformance with Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.015, upcoming meetings of the FSDTF have been scheduled and will be offered in-person with video-conference phone-in options.
The next meeting will be on November 12, 2024, at the Orville L. Freeman Building in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Attend the November 12 meeting using Microsoft Teams
Or you can call in via audio conference (sorry, this is not a toll-free line) by calling: +1-651-395-7448
Phone Conference ID: 807 374 4#
Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event please contact Natasha Hedin at 612-247-5888 or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 711 as soon as possible.
Agriculture Research, Education, Extension, and Technology Transfer (AGREETT) 2024 Advisory Panel Meeting
The Agriculture Research, Education, Extension, and Technology Transfer (AGREETT) panel advises the commissioner of agriculture and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota on investments to achieve long-term agricultural productivity increases through improved infrastructure, vision, and accountability in agricultural research and technology transfer, agriculture rapid response, and agricultural education.
Contact Paul Hugunin for meeting details.
See the AGREETT state statute for more information about this grant program.
Nonagricultural pesticide gross sales reporting can be now be submitted by one of two methods, paper-based or web-based sa
Registration is now open for the 2025 Minnesota Organic Conference, an annual statewide conference that highlights organic agricultural practices.
Hosted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the two-day conference will take place January 9 and 10, 2025, at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.
The event will feature keynote speakers and more than 30 breakout sessions providing educational opportunities in areas like organic crop production, dairy, livestock, fruits and vegetables, marketing, and business. Attendees will also have access to an 80-booth trade show featuring information about relevant products and services.
The keynote speakers for this year’s conference include:
- Tom Cotter, a fourth-generation farmer and active member of the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition. Cotter started planting cover crops in 1998, which helped him transition a third of his acres to organic cash crops and grass-fed beef. He was recently named a finalist for the inaugural Minnesota Leopold Conservation Award.
- Mark Schiller and Simeon Rossi are the co-founders of Loon Liquor Company, an organic microdistillery in Northfield, Minnesota, crafting delicious spirits from organic, local suppliers. They recently won the Food, Ag, and Beverage Division of the 2024 MN Cup, a startup competition for entrepreneurs.
Early-bird pricing is currently available for those who register by December 2, after which prices will increase. Two-day, one-day, and student registration options are available. Full pricing details can be found on the Minnesota Organic Conference webpage.
For more information, visit the MDA's website.
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
