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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) are partnering to offer free suicide prevention trainings for rural faith leaders this April and May. Clergy and lay leaders who serve rural congregations of all faiths and denominations are welcome.

“Faith is an important cornerstone in the lives of many farm families, but we’ve learned that pastors, priests, and other faith and spiritual leaders often don’t discuss suicide prevention techniques during their religious training,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “With rural suicide rates being 2.5-3 times higher than the national average, teaching these skills to trusted community members like clergy is crucial.”

These trainings will help teach faith leaders how to recognize and engage with someone who is having suicidal thoughts, connect that person to help, and support family and community members affected by suicide. The four-week training pairs an online curriculum from LivingWorks Faith with weekly discussion sessions held via Zoom. Participants will discuss the approaches they learn in a pastoral context with peers in their region of the state.

LivingWorks Director of Faith Community Engagement Glen Bloomstrom will facilitate the training, along with several other LivingWorks team members.

The training for faith leaders in the northern half of Minnesota starts April 18, while the southern Minnesota training starts April 27. Enrollment is free but is limited to 40 participants, and pre-registration is required. Full details and registration can be found on Eventbrite:

• Northern Minnesota session
• Southern Minnesota session

This training builds on the MDA/MDH Suicide Prevention for Rural Faith Leaders conferences held in Bemidji and Mankato during the fall of 2022 and is partially underwritten by Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Program award #2021-70035461 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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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 the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Faribault County for the first time. There are now 40 counties in the state, including Faribault, with EAB.

While conducting a visual survey for EAB, MDA staff discovered an infestation of the invasive pest at a rest area off I-90 westbound near the city of Blue Earth. Staff collected larvae and sent them in for confirmation. Federal identification confirmed emerald ash borer.

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 Faribault County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county, which 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 Faribault County will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meeting:
Thursday, April 13, 2023
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 Faribault County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through May 5, 2023 and recommends adopting the quarantine on May 8, 2023. 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
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us