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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Jackson County for the first time. There are now 53 counties in the state, including Jackson, with EAB. EAB has also been confirmed in a new location in Lake County, expanding the original quarantine area.

In Jackson County, a Soil and Water Conservation District employee discovered an adult EAB in the city of Jackson and submitted the find via the MDA’s Report a Pest service. In Lake County, a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources forester noticed unhealthy ash trees in the city of Silver Bay. When inspecting the trees, they found EAB larvae as well as adult EAB.

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 Jackson County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county. In Lake County, since EAB was discovered outside the original quarantine area, the quarantine is being expanded to include townships comprising the southern half of Lake County (See Map). 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 Jackson and Lake counties will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 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:
September 25, 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 Jackson County’s emergency quarantine and Lake County’s expanded emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through October 24, 2024, and recommends adopting the quarantine on October 25, 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) is reminding farmers and commercial applicators that fall nitrogen fertilizer applications are restricted in some areas of the state. Under the MDA’s Groundwater Protection Rule, fall nitrogen fertilizer application is prohibited in vulnerable areas of Minnesota due to environmental concerns or risks. Areas with coarse-textured soils or areas above fractured bedrock or karst geology are the most vulnerable to nitrate-nitrogen loss and groundwater contamination.

The restrictions begin September 1 each year. Farmers are encouraged to check the online map prior to fall application to determine if their fields are subject to these restrictions. View a map of the vulnerable regions of the state. For more information on the restrictions outlined in the Groundwater Protection Rule, visit www.mda.state.mn.us/nfr.

In other areas of the state where fall nitrogen fertilizer application is allowed, the MDA advises farmers and commercial applicators to check soil temperatures and wait until the average soil temperatures reach 50 degrees F or cooler. Research shows that delaying fall application of anhydrous ammonia and urea fertilizer, as well as manure, helps prevent nitrogen loss, protects water quality, and ensures more nitrogen will be available for next season’s crop.

To assist tracking soil temperature, the MDA provides access to real-time, 4 and 6-inch soil temperatures at 70 locations across the state. View the interactive map to find the current 6-inch soil temperature and the past week’s history.

Although the soil temperature network was established to support application of nitrogen fertilizer, it is equally useful for those applying manure in the fall. University of Minnesota Extension recommends the same temperature delay (after soil temperature is below 50 degrees F) to prevent leaching losses.

For more information on the Six-inch Soil Temperature Network visit www.mda.state.mn.us/soiltemp.

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

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Emerging Farmers’ Working Group (EFWG) has openings for nine volunteer members for two-year terms. Minnesotans interested in making it easier for new and emerging farmers to create or sustain an agricultural business are encouraged to apply today.

“The work of the Emerging Farmers’ Working Group is critically important in helping identify barriers to entering the field of agriculture and creating resources to support new and emerging farmers in our state,” said Assistant MDA Commissioner Patrice Bailey. “It will become even more so in the coming years, as we staff up our Emerging Farmers Office and build out the MDA’s emerging farmers programs.”

Everyone is welcome to apply. The MDA is particularly interested in the following perspectives:

• Women
• Veterans
• Persons with a disability/disabilities
• American Indian/Alaska Native
• Member of a community of color
• LGBTQIA+
• Young (35 years old and under)
• Urban (reside in cities with 5k+ population)

The deadline to apply for EFWG membership is at noon on October 1, 2024. The MDA website has the membership application and more information on the EFWG page. Email your questions to the Emerging Farmer Office at mda.emerging.farmers@state.mn.us.

Thank you to our current and departing members for your participation.

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