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Minnesota food and beverage startup companies can also attend Expo West as mentees through the MDA’s Walk the Floor Mentorship Program, to learn about trade show preparation and execution and prepare for possible future attendance. This year’s Walk the Floor mentee is Quebracho Empanadas, winner of the Food/Ag/Beverage Division in the University of Minnesota’s 2023 MN Cup competition, who will partner with long-time exhibitor and 2024 NEXTY Awards Finalist, Seven Sundays.

Minnesota-based Maazah, winner of NPEW’s 2023 Pitch Slam, will also exhibit in the North Hall Level 200 Hot Products section. Pitch Slam Awards are given to standout emerging brands that compete in a fast-paced pitch competition at Expo West. As last year’s grand prize winner, Maazah received a free booth at this year’s show, as well as over $30,000 in services from Expo West organizer, New Hope Network.

The Minnesota Pavilion at Expo West is made possible by the MDA and the support of our event sponsors and partners: Indie Do Good, FoodOps, Naturally Minnesota, NearestYou, and Smart Start Solutions.

Visit the MDA website to learn more about the Make it Minnesota Program and the Minnesota Pavilion at Natural Products Expo West.

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

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and partner organizations are proposing to treat spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) infestations this summer in seven counties across eastern Minnesota.

Spongy moths are ranked among America’s most destructive tree pests. The insect has caused millions of dollars in damage to forests as it has spread from New England westward in recent decades. Spongy moth caterpillars can defoliate large sections of forest. This pest is found in most of Wisconsin and is now establishing itself in northeastern Minnesota.

The MDA monitors for spongy moth each year, surveying for start-up infestations. When an infestation is found, the department conducts aerial treatments and targets the infestation before it can spread. The number of spongy moths detected in Minnesota in recent years has increased, and populations continue to push westward. The increase in moths created the need for more treatment areas in 2024.

Forty-two treatment areas totaling approximately 160,000 acres are proposed in Carlton, Chisago, Fillmore, Houston, Isanti, Pine, and St. Louis counties. The areas will be treated with either: Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk), a biological insecticide that is organically certified for use on food crops, or mating disruption, an organic substance containing pheromones specific to spongy moths that confuses the male moths. Residents can view an interactive map on the MDA website to determine if they’re located within any of the proposed treatment areas. 

The treatments will be conducted from June through July, depending on insect development and weather.

The MDA has successfully treated dozens of spongy moth infestations across eastern Minnesota from Grand Portage to the Twin Cities to Houston County. These successful treatments help postpone the full-scale invasion of spongy moth. They also save local communities and homeowners money and protect the health of the state’s urban and natural forests.

Residents in proposed treatment areas and the public are invited to attend an informational meeting to learn more about the insect and the treatment methods.

To register for virtual meetings, go to www.mda.state.mn.us/smtreatments.

Residents in proposed treatment areas will also be receiving a postcard with more information. Citizens can also find info on spongy moth treatments, sign-up for text or email notifications, and proposed treatment area maps at www.mda.state.mn.us/smtreatments.

Comments on any of the proposed treatments are being accepted through April 15, 2024. Comments should be submitted in writing via mail or email to:

Kimberly Thielen Cremers
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us

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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 alerting consumers to avoid consuming certain ground or powdered cinnamon products.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert for these products after determining they contain elevated levels of lead. Prolonged exposure to these products may be unsafe and could contribute to elevated levels of lead in the blood.

The products in question are:

• La Fiesta Canela Molida (Ground Cinnamon) sold at La Superior and SuperMercado retailers and online. Affected lot code 25033.
• Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar retailers. “Best if used by” code dates affected are:
  • 09/29/25 09E8
  • 04/17/25  04E11
  • 12/19/25 12C2
  • 04/12/25 04ECB12
  • 08/24/25 08A_ _
  • 04/21/25 04E5
  • 2025-09-22 09E20 (Missouri) 
• Marcum Ground Cinnamon sold at Save A Lot stores and online retailers. “Best if used by” code dates affected are 10/16/25 10DB and 04/06/25 0400B1 (Missouri).
• Swad Cinnamon Powder sold at Patel Brothers and online retailers. Affected lot code is KX21223.

Consumers should not eat, sell, or serve the above listed ground cinnamon products and should discard them. If there is suspicion that someone has been exposed to elevated levels of lead, talk to your healthcare provider. Most people have no obvious immediate symptoms of lead exposure.

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

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced the recipients of its 2024 Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Grant. Eleven projects totaling $150,000 were awarded though the grant.

The money awarded to cities, counties, townships, conservation districts, and tribal nations will be used to purchase equipment and supplies, conduct mapping, outreach activities, and hire private applicators to manage noxious weeds.

Noxious weeds are plants that have the potential or are known to be harmful to human or animal health, the environment, public roads, crops, livestock, or other property. There are currently 57 plants on Minnesota’s Noxious Weed List.

Grant projects were awarded up to $15,000 to be spent in one year to support local activity.

The MDA has awarded over $1,500,000 since 2017 to local municipalities and tribal nations for projects that focus on noxious weeds throughout the state.

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

Ahead of the planting season, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is reminding farmers of proper storage guidelines for bulk fertilizer.

Bulk liquid fertilizer can contaminate soil, surface water, and groundwater if a storage tank or pipe leaks. Dry fertilizer can also leach into the environment if it is placed on the ground and mixes with snow and rain.

To limit the risk of environmental impacts, liquid fertilizer tanks must be inside a containment system that will hold any spills. This is called secondary containment. Dry fertilizer must be stored on an impervious surface and in a roofed area that will protect its contents from the elements. There may be other requirements depending on the location of the stored dry fertilizer.

Farmers storing any amount of dry bulk fertilizer on the farm must get an MDA bulk storage permit. Farmers must also get an MDA permit if they’re storing more than 6,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer.

The storage permit application must include drawings for secondary containment. An application, along with a $100 fee, must be submitted prior to the start of construction or storage of any dry fertilizer or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer. The permit application can be found on the MDA website.

Failing to comply with bulk fertilizer storage requirements may result in further enforcement actions by the MDA. Contamination from a release may also result in a costly environmental cleanup that could be averted when liquid bulk fertilizer tanks or dry fertilizer is in an MDA permitted containment. As a reminder, a release of fertilizer into the environment is an incident that must be immediately reported to the Minnesota Duty Officer at 1-800-422-0798. 

For more information on bulk storage and permits, contact Matthew Parins at 651-201-6587 or Matthew.Parins@state.mn.us.

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

Minnesota educators looking for summer professional development opportunities are encouraged to register for Minnesota Ag in the Classroom’s (MAITC) Summer Teacher Tours. The tours, taking place this June and July, will provide participants with the chance to acquire new agricultural skills and knowledge to bring back to their classrooms.

“Whether you consider yourself an ag novice or expert, our Summer Teacher Tours offer unique hands-on experiences to learn more about this important Minnesota industry,” said MAITC education specialist Sue Knott. “Each tour highlights different examples of agriculture in action that educators can use to help teach their students core concepts in science, social studies, language arts, math, and nutrition in fresh ways.”

This summer’s tours include:

• The Hands that Feed Us (Mankato, MN; June 18): Discover the journey your food takes from farm to plate by learning directly from the hands that feed us: farmers. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to tour and connect with those who are growing and raising food for not only their local communities, but the world.
• Orchard to Market (White Bear Lake, MN; July 9): Follow the journey of locally grown apples and learn about how this tasty fruit is researched, grown, and made into delicious products in the Twin Cities. Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at Pine Tree Apple Orchard, BIX Produce Co., and Bailey Nurseries.
• Farm, Fiber, and Fabrication (Bemidji, MN; July 22): This tour will provide an immersive look at the fabrication and manufacturing processes that have ties to many ag businesses; how fibers like wool are used to create garments, blankets and more; and how local farms carry out their production and conservation efforts.

Tours are open to any Minnesota K-12 educator, regardless of previous agriculture knowledge or experience. The deadline to register is June 1, 2024, though early bird pricing is currently available through April 15.

For further details on each tour and to register, visit MAITC’s Summer Teacher Tour web page. 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.

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