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The Food Innovation Team (FIT) was created as a subcommittee of the Minnesota Food Safety and Defense Task Force to help answer questions and assist food business owners in navigating Minnesota’s food licensing and regulatory environment.  Most food business owners receive a license to do business from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), or their delegated agencies with relative ease. However, some food business owners may encounter challenges in licensing due to a number of factors that may not easily be resolved without assistance. When this happens food business owners are encouraged to work with the FIT to help answer their questions and create a path forward for their licensing needs. FIT meetings are held every other month and are open to anyone interested.

Due to precautions against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in conformance with Minnesota Statues Section 13D.021, upcoming meetings of the FIT have been scheduled and will be changed from in-person meetings to video-conference meetings with a phone-in option.

Join the July 20th meeting using WebEx

Or you can call in via audio conference (sorry, this is not a toll-free line) by calling:
+1-415-655-0003

Access code: 146 653 5750

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. For more information, see the AGREETT state statute.

Contact Paul Hugunin for meeting details.

The MDA is hosting a waste pesticide collection event on Monday, November 16 for those in Anoka, Hennepin, and Isanti counties. Through this free event, homeowners, businesses, and farmers can safely dispose of unwanted and unusable pesticides.

The program accepts unwanted and unusable agricultural and consumer-type pesticides including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and rodenticides. However, crop oils, adjuvants, pesticide rinsate, fertilizer, treated seed, contaminated soil, and empty pesticide containers are not accepted.

The collection is open to farmers, homeowners, commercial pesticide applicators, golf courses, lawn care companies, structural pest control operators, and other pesticide users. No pre-registration is required. 

The Current is a speed networking webinar series for professionals engaged in water-related extension, research, and conservation activities. The North Central Region Water Network and Extension Directors from all 12 North Central states are sponsoring this series to highlight the best water-related research and Extension programming in the region. Webinars will run for 60 minutes, with three 10-minute project snapshots and 30 minutes of QA/peer-to-peer interaction.

Tune into this month’s edition of the The Current where we will hear about two different state-based mandatory programs addressing nutrient management – Ohio’s Pesticide Safety Education Program and Minnesota’s newly announced Groundwater Protection Rule.

Featured Speakers:

• Chrissy Kaminski, Program Manager, Pesticide Safety Education Program, Ohio State University Extension: “Ohio Nutrient Management: Agriculture Fertilizer Applicator Certificate”
   
• Luke Stuewe, Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Greg Klinger, Extension Educator of Agricultural Water Quality Protection, Minnesota Water Resource Center: “MN’s Groundwater Protection Rule and the Supporting Role for Nitrogen Fertilizer Best Management Practices (BMPs)”

An MDA Drug Residue Prevention Program outreach veterinarian will be on site at the Zumbrota Livestock Sale and available to answer questions 11/9 from 2-8 pm and 11/10 from 6:30-9:30 am.

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 sixteen members, nine 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. 

Due to precautions against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in conformance with Minnesota Statues Section 13D.021, upcoming meetings of the FSDTF have been scheduled and will be changed from in-person meetings to video-conference meetings with a phone-in option. 

Attend the November 9th meeting using WebEx

Or you can call in via audio conference (sorry, this is not a toll-free line) by calling: +1-415-655-0003

Access code: 146 152 8041

Individuals with a disability who need 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. 

The Food Innovation Team (FIT) was created as a subcommittee of the Minnesota Food Safety and Defense Task Force to help answer questions and assist food business owners in navigating Minnesota’s food licensing and regulatory environment.  Most food business owners receive a license to do business from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), or their delegated agencies with relative ease. However, some food business owners may encounter challenges in licensing due to a number of factors that may not easily be resolved without assistance. When this happens food business owners are encouraged to work with the FIT to help answer their questions and create a path forward for their licensing needs. FIT meetings are held every other month and are open to anyone interested.

Due to precautions against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in conformance with Minnesota Statues Section 13D.021, upcoming meetings of the FIT have been scheduled and will be changed from in-person meetings to video-conference meetings with a phone-in option.

Join the November 17th meeting using WebEx

Or you can call in via audio conference (sorry, this is not a toll-free line) by calling:
+1-415-655-0003

Access code: 146 055 6767

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.