May 7, 2024
The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) has awarded 500 endorsements, in addition to 10-year certification, to farmers and landowners across the state.
There are currently five MAWQCP endorsements. The integrated pest management, soil health, and wildlife endorsements have been available since 2019. The irrigation water management endorsement and the Climate Smart endorsement have been available since 2022.
“We recognize that many conservation practices targeting water quality also have benefits for other conservation goals, such as soil health and wildlife protection,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “These Ag Water Quality Certification endorsements celebrate the certified producers who are going above and beyond to implement conservation on their farms, and I congratulate those who have received these endorsements for their outstanding work.”
The MAWQCP is a voluntary program for farmers and landowners that protects the state’s water resources. To date, Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality certified farms have added nearly 2,900 new conservation practices that protect Minnesota’s waters. Those new practices have kept over 48,000 tons of sediment out of Minnesota rivers while saving 144,000 tons of soil and 60,000 pounds of phosphorous on farms each year. The conservation practices have also reduced nitrogen loss up to 49% and cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 52,500 tons per year.
The MAWQCP partnered with various non-profit organizations, such as Pheasants Forever and the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, and state agencies to develop the endorsements.
Meadowbrook Dairy, Inc. was the first farm to achieve all five endorsements through the Ag Water Quality Certification Program. Meadowbrook Dairy, Inc. is a fifth-generation farm in Stearns County owned and operated by the Udermann family, including John, his sons Alex and Jake, and Alex’s wife Krissy. All are employed full time on the farm and, with the help of John’s wife Mary Lou, together they raise 1,000 acres of corn, soybeans, small grains, alfalfa, along with operating an 80-cow dairy and 300 feeder steers.
“Signing up and going through the process of water quality certification and the endorsements gave our farm direction and assistance to meet the conservation goals we had set for ourselves,” said Alex Udermann. “It clearly laid out a solid foundation to learn, to improve, and to grow on. We really wanted to show our local community of Sartell that our farm is doing everything we can to do to improve water quality on the acres we farm and taking care of the soil in a sustainable and regenerative way.”
The Udermann Family of Sartell. (L-R) Jake, Haidyn, Sam, Ava, Mary Lou, John, Zoey, Alex, Aubrey, Krissy, and Kallie Udermann.
Current Endorsements
- Climate Smart Endorsements – 163
- Integrated Pest Management Endorsements – 104
- Irrigation Endorsements – 13
- Soil Health Endorsements – 137
- Wildlife Endorsements – 83
Certified producers who achieve an endorsement receive an additional sign for their farm and recognition for their conservation excellence.
Farmers and landowners interested in an endorsement or becoming water quality certified can contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District or visit MyLandMyLegacy.com.
About the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program
The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program is a voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners to take the lead in implementing conservation practices that protect our water. Those who implement and maintain approved farm management practices will be certified and in turn obtain regulatory certainty for a period of ten years. After a successful pilot phase in 2014-2015, the program is now available to farmers and landowners statewide. To date, the program has certified 1,492 farms totaling over 1 million acres.
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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us
Kickoff: Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy 10-year revision
Starts:
Mon, 06/10/2024 - 1:30 pm
Ends:
Mon, 06/10/2024 - 2:30 pm
MDA is a:
Presenter
Link:
Details:
Please join us for the kickoff event featuring the 10-year update to the Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency).
Minnesota established a statewide Nutrient Reduction Strategy in 2014 to guide our state’s efforts to reduce nutrient pollution.
Public participation during the revision process begins with this event where leaders from Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will share how their organizations are contributing the revision process and provide an overview of the revision activities.
State agencies will regularly update Minnesotans on the Nutrient Reduction Strategy revision process through web postings and informal information sessions. Public comments will be sought on the draft revision in the second half of 2025.
Common questions about the Nitrogen Management Financial Assistance Pilot Program are listed below.
May 10, 2024
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Education and other partners, is hosting two public input sessions to discuss the future of Farm to School and Early Care efforts in Minnesota.
All members of the public are welcome to participate, including — but not limited to — farmers, school nutrition professionals, early care providers, food system partners, and educators. Participants will be asked to provide input on strategies for expanding initiatives likes school and early care food purchasing from Minnesota producers, food and agriculture education, school gardens, and effective cross-sector collaboration.
The two input sessions will be held using Microsoft Teams, and registration is requested:
Input Session #1
Thursday, May 23, 2024
3-4 p.m.
Register for this event.
Input Session #2
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
6-7 p.m.
Register for this event.
Ideas and feedback collected from these sessions will be used to help build out and refine Minnesota’s first-ever Farm to Kids Strategic Plan for increasing local food purchasing as well as food and ag education efforts over the next 3-5 years in schools and early care settings across the state. Once developed, the strategic plan will be implemented collaboratively by state agencies and organizations that are members of the Minnesota Farm to School Leadership Team and Minnesota Farm to Early Care Advisory Group.
Development of Minnesota’s Farm to Kids Strategic Plan is supported by a USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant received by the MDA. The MDA and its partners plan to announce the final strategic plan in October 2024, in celebration of Farm to School and Early Care Month.
For more information about Minnesota Farm to Kids Strategic Plan, visit the Minnesota Farm to School website.
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
Secure Milk Supply Webinar
Starts:
Thu, 05/16/2024 - 8:00 pm
Ends:
Thu, 05/16/2024 - 9:00 pm
MDA is a:
Sponsor
Presenter
Details:
Join the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) for a webinar about protecting and enhancing Minnesota’s secure milk supply and enhancing biosecurity on dairy farms. This one-hour session will be held Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 8 p.m. It is for dairy producers and others in the dairy industry. No registration is required.
With the discovery of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle across several states, producers are encouraged to consider heightened biosecurity measures such as those described in the Secure Milk Supply Plan. MDA and Minnesota Board of Animal Health staff will present information and answer questions about protecting dairy farms from avian influenza and other diseases.
Webinar information
Who: Dairy producers and others in the dairy industry
What: A webinar about secure milk supply and enhanced biosecurity
When: Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 8-9 p.m.
Where: Virtual meeting on Microsoft Teams (Details below)
Webinar details
Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 229 049 601 133
Passcode: PWaEQ5
Dial-in by phone
Phone conference ID: 976 413 304#
Join on a video conferencing device
Tenant key: mn@m.webex.com
Video ID: 119 883 507 1
Evaluation Process
Plant species are evaluated through an extensive risk assessment process.
May 13, 2024
Carrie Allord, a third-grade teacher at St. Francis Catholic School in Brainerd, has been recognized as Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom’s (MAITC) 2024 Outstanding Teacher Award winner.
Allord uses a wide range of agriculture-themed books, lessons, and materials to support the development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in her students, and is always looking for opportunities to connect plants, animals, and food to the learning activities happening in her classroom. She also uses a classroom chicken named Pearl as well as a chick hatching program to help students investigate lifecycles and connect to important science concepts.
“To be agriculture literate is to understand and respect where our food comes from. It is important for teachers and students to share the knowledge of agriculture so that everyone around us understands how agriculture impacts our world, and our daily lives,” said Allord.
In addition to the state-level award, Allord was also recognized as one of six Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award winners by the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. She will receive a $500 stipend and travel expenses covered to attend the 2024 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, this June.
All Minnesota licensed K-12 educators who creatively integrate agricultural concepts into non-agricultural education classroom settings are eligible for the MAITC Outstanding Teacher Award. Applications are reviewed by a committee of MAITC Foundation board members, who select the recipient each winter.
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. Visit the MAITC website for more information and free educational resources.
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Media Contact:
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
