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Thirteen Minnesota educators looking to provide more agricultural experiences for their students have received grant funding from Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC).

MAITC has awarded each educator with an Agricultural Literacy Grant, worth up to $500 each. This annual grant opportunity is designed to fund projects that support agriculture and food systems education efforts from kindergarten to high school across the state.

Topics that will be explored through this year’s projects include agricultural careers, aquaponics, and the farm-to-fork process.

MAITC is a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the MAITC Foundation that seeks to increase agricultural literacy through K-12 education. For more information about the Ag Literacy Grants and other ag education resources, visit the MAITC website.
 

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

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Morrison County for the first time. There are now 46 counties in the state, including Morrison, with EAB.

A suspected EAB infestation was reported at a campground in Genola, MN. EAB larvae was later found, and samples were collected by MDA staff. Federal identification confirmed the samples as emerald ash borer. MDA staff also surveyed other areas in Morrison County and found EAB near Little Falls, MN.

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 Morrison County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county. 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 Morrison County will be held on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 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:
December 13, 2023
10 a.m. – 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 Morrison County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through January 16, 2024, and recommends adopting the quarantine on January 19, 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), University of Minnesota (UMN), and members of the Statewide Cooperative Partnership for Local and Regional Markets have concluded a three-year project to collect baseline data on Minnesota’s local and regional agricultural markets. The data, along with a new strategic framework for market development, are now available for public use.

“We are grateful for the many partners that played a role in the Statewide Cooperative Partnership over the last three years,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Never before have we had this level of information to guide our work on local and regional markets. The data and strategic framework that came out of this project provide us with new perspectives on how we can equitably support farmers and producers, retailers, public institutions, and consumers in Minnesota.”

Funded by a three-year grant from the USDA Federal State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP), the MDA, UMN, and over 40 partner organizations surveyed Minnesota producers, supply chain partners, and consumers in 2022 to supplement data from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Agricultural Census.

“The data from our surveys and outreach help tell a more holistic story of the experiences of small and medium-sized farmers in Minnesota and pathways to effectively support them, in a structured way for the first time,” said Dr. Hikaru Peterson, the lead researcher for the project and a professor of applied economics in the UMN College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences. “We look forward to using these findings to expand collaborative efforts to strengthen Minnesota’s local and regional markets.”

Thanks to outreach efforts of partners around the state, the producer survey reached many small, mid-sized and emerging farmers not previously represented in Minnesota’s agricultural data. Of the 497 Minnesota producers who completed the survey, only 37% were represented in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The supply chain survey and consumer survey collected additional information to better understand purchasing factors, preference and demand for Minnesota products, and barriers to buying local.

The Partnership used data from all three surveys to develop a framework of seven priority areas and twenty strategies for building market opportunities for Minnesota producers, supply chains, and consumers. The priority areas include procedural equity; relationship building with tribal nations; outreach, education, and engagement; and built and organizational infrastructure.

Examples of specific strategies under the seven priority areas include:

• Provide more technical assistance, training, and information for emerging farmers that are culturally appropriate and offered in multiple languages;
• Sustain and expand programming aimed at getting more local food into institutions, retail stores, regional distributors, and places where consumers already shop; and
• Collaborate with USDA to increase producer participation in the Census of Agriculture, and identify and invest in ways to collect supplemental data every few years that is needed to support local and regional market development in Minnesota.

The full data reports and action framework can be accessed through the Statewide Cooperative Partnerships website. The MDA and UMN also hosted a webinar to introduce the findings, which can be viewed on the MDA’s YouTube channel.

The Statewide Cooperative Partnership will continue to meet regularly to discuss local and regional market data and needs, pursue collaborative approaches to market development and support, and nurture relationships across our food system. These meetings are open to all who are interested in supporting and expanding this work.

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

Holiday greenery and Christmas trees bring joy throughout the season, but they can also hide dangerous pests. Diseases and invasive species can make their way into our landscapes on trees and boughs brought into Minnesota from other states.

To protect our environment, the State of Minnesota is asking residents to take these steps to properly dispose of greenery and trees after the holiday season:

• The best option is to use a curbside tree collection or bring trees to a designated drop-off site. Check with your waste hauler, city, or county to see what services are offered in your area. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has a map of yard waste compost locations; contact locations directly to see if they accept trees and greenery.
• Do not toss trees and greenery into your backyard woods or residential compost pile, which can spread the invasive species or disease.
• Wreaths and other decorative greens can be disposed of in trash cans.
• If your city or county does not have an organized pick-up or drop-off, the last resort is to burn the greens. Always check fire danger conditions and burning restrictions before burning and follow local ordinances.

Pests of concern include elongate hemlock scale, a small insect established in the eastern U.S. where many decorative Fraser firs are grown. Feeding damage caused by this invasive insect can cause the needles of hemlocks, firs, and spruces to yellow and prematurely drop. Also, boxwood blight, a fungal disease, and round leaf bittersweet, an invasive noxious weed, are sometimes found on wreaths and centerpieces and can endanger native trees and other landscaping.

If you suspect your greenery or tree may be infested with an invasive insect or disease, contact the MDA’s Report a Pest line at 1-888-545-6684, reportapest@state.mn.us, or through the online reporting form.

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

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) today announced that state-specific use restrictions for three dicamba herbicide products will be in place for the 2024 growing season in Minnesota. The restrictions are aimed at curbing off-site movement of the products.

The affected dicamba formulations are Engenia by BASF, Tavium by Syngenta, and XtendiMax by Bayer. These are the only dicamba products labeled for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans.

The three products will have the following restrictions in Minnesota in 2024:

• DATE CUTOFF: No application shall be made south of Interstate 94 after June 12, 2024. North of Interstate 94, use is prohibited after June 30, 2024.
• TEMPERATURE CUTOFF: No application shall be made if the air temperature of the field at the time of application is over 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service’s forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

 “These restrictions have been effective over the past two growing season at decreasing complaints of off-target movement,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “These products must be used without impacts on neighboring homes, farms, and gardens. The Minnesota-specific restrictions are based on scientific evidence and have proven to be effective.”

During the 2023 growing season, the MDA received 11 formal complaints and four responses to an informal survey, all alleging off-target movement. This is a major decrease from a peak in 2021 which saw a total of 304 formal complaints and survey responses. The MDA implemented the date and temperature restrictions in 2022, which resulted in 32 reports of alleged off-target movement.

There are also other federal requirements for the products that appear on the product labels. They include:

• Requiring an approved pH-buffering agent, also known as a volatility reducing agent, be tank mixed with dicamba products prior to all applications;
• Requiring a downwind buffer of 240 feet and 310 feet in areas where listed endangered species are located (visit the EPA website to determine whether a 310-foot buffer is required); and,
• Additional recordkeeping items.

In addition to the cutoff dates, Xtendimax and Tavium have crop growth stage cutoffs.

Since dicamba was first registered for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans in the 2017 growing season, the MDA has fielded complaints each year of alleged off-site movement onto neighboring property. The chemical is highly volatile and can damage non-target plant species through spray drift and/or volatilization. Volatility is influenced by several factors including temperature, relative humidity, rate of application, and crop stage. The annual totals of complaints were:

2023: 15 reports
2022: 32
2021: 304
2020: 128
2019: 20
2018: 51
2017: 249

Engenia, Tavium, and XtendiMax formulations of dicamba are approved for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans only and are “Restricted Use Pesticides.” The dicamba products are only for retail sale to and use by certified applicators.

Pesticide product registrations are renewed on an annual basis in Minnesota.

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

Farmers and agricultural landowners looking for assistance in creating succession plans for their properties have a new support available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).

The MDA has hired Jim Molenaar as its farmland access and succession teams coordinator. In this newly created role, Molenaar will advocate for and guide farmers and ag landowners through the succession process, bringing in additional outside team members that are necessary for success. These team members could include, but are not limited to, legal experts, accountants, and farm business management (FBM) instructors. There is no cost for this service for those who participate.

“I’m thrilled to partner with the MDA to provide this support to Minnesota’s farmers and producers,” said Molenaar. “The transfer of farmland to the next generation is integral to the future of agriculture in Minnesota, and I look forward to leveraging my experiences to help farmers and their families successfully transition their legacies.”

Molenaar is an experienced and trusted advisor on the topic of succession and farm ownership. In addition to his new role, he works as a Farm Advocate for the MDA, where he offers one-on-one assistance for Minnesota farmers who face crisis caused by either a natural disaster or financial problems. He is also a retired instructor for the FBM program.

According to USDA, the average age of Minnesota farmers has reached an all-time high of 57.4 years. This new position is just one tool the MDA provides to help transfer ag land and operations to beginning and emerging farmers, ensuring the continued strength and resilience of the state’s agricultural economy. Its FarmLink program brings together those who are looking for ag land, farming operations, or mentors with retiring farmers and landowners who want to see their farms or farming operations continue. The agency also offers the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit and the Down Payment Assistant Grant programs.

Molenaar’s contact information, as well as further details about the MDA’s other land access and succession tools, can be found on the agency’s website.

The farmland access and succession teams coordinator position is made possible with support from the Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence.

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