AGRI Value-Added Grant Past Projects

Read about the variety of projects funded through the AGRI Value-Added Grant program.

Fiscal Year 2024
Fiscal Year 2023
Fiscal Year 2022
Fiscal Year 2021
Fiscal Year 2020
Fiscal Year 2019
Fiscal Year 2018
Fiscal Year 2017
Fiscal Year 2016
Fiscal Year 2015
Fiscal Year 2014

Fiscal Year 2024
Business Name	Project Summary	City	County
Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute	Purchase of hemp processing equipment, including a decortication system, hemp seed cleaner, and herd binder.	Osage	Becker
Crème de la Crème	Purchase of a labeler, capping machine, and mixer for value-added pecan and granola production.	Deephaven	Hennepin
Doubting Thomas Farms	Purchase of stone mill for making flour on-site.	Moorhead	Clay
Harry’s Pizza	Purchase of a waterfall pizza topping applicator.	Elrosa	Stearns
Hoyo Inc.	Construction of production facility and purchase of equipment (freezer, fryer, mixer, oven, dishwasher, etc.) for sambusa production.	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Loon Liquors	Purchase of still for micro-distillery.	Northfield	Rice
M2D Enterprises	Construction of produce shed for washing and packing of produce; purchase of freezer.	Saint Michael	Wright
Naima’s Farm	Purchase of walk-in freezer and storage, washing, and packing area for value-added farm products.	Alexandria	Douglas
NativeWise	Purchase of refrigerated vehicle for transport of processed bison.	Sawyer	Carlton
Northern Diversified Solutions	Purchase of hemp processing equipment to increase capacity.	Burnsville	Dakota
Peatland Reds	Purchase of a potato grading system.	Trail	Polk
Prairie PROducers	Purchase of hemp form, fill, and seal packaging system.	Olivia	Renville
River Rock Kitchen & Baking Co.	Purchase of ovens, tables, and flooring for incorporating Kernza into baked goods.	Saint Peter	Nicollet
Rookie Farmers	Purchase of fiber baling machine for hemp insulation line.	South Haven	Stearns
Round Lake Vineyards & Winery	Purchase of dryer and other processing equipment for converting grape byproducts into flour, oil, and supplement extract.	Round Lake	Jackson
Sailor Mercy	Purchase of bottle labeling equipment.	Stillwater	Washington
Healthy Harvest	Purchase and construction of walk-in freezer/cooler.	Hillman	Morrison

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Fiscal Year 2023
Business Name	Project Summary	City	County
Autumnwoods Farm	Expanding cooler and freezer space, refrigerated loading dock for food safety.	Forest Lake	Washington
Benson + Turner Foods	Purchasing equipment for livestock slaughter, refrigerated trailer, freezers, processing, and packaging equipment for new USDA-inspected meat processing plant and storefront.	Waubun	Mahnomen
Blackshire Farms	Purchasing apple pressing, fermenting, and pasteurization equipment; building out cider-making space.	Luverne	Rock
Butcher Block Meats	Purchasing refrigerated truck and equipment for expanding processing facility.	Glyndon	Clay
Carl’s Lefse	Purchasing dough and oven equipment for lefse production; water heater and washing equipment for food safety.	Hawley	Clay
Clean Chickens and Co.	Fabrication and installation of custom rail system, V-Belt restrainer, and dehider for lamb and goat slaughter and processing facility.	Elk River	Sherburne
Doubting Thomas Farms	Purchase of an organic (grain) seed cleaner.	Moorhead	Clay
Falk’s Seed Farm	Purchase of a specialty seed cleaning and bagging line.	Murdock	Swift
Farmers’ Kitchen	Increasing raw vegetable storage capacity with refrigeration and climate control for fermentation business.	Wrenshall	Carlton
Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables	Construction of a vegetable processing facility with commercial kitchen and walk-in freezer.	Rushford	Filmore
Foothills Orchard	Purchase of equipment for apple washing, sorting, and grading.	Little Falls	Morrison
Full Circle Farms	Infrastructure changes and equipment for the establishment of an on-farm flour milling operation and sourdough micro-bakery.	Starbuck	Pope
Hidden Stream Farm	Purchase of refrigeration equipment for cold storage.	Elgin	Wabasha
Jenniges Meat Processing	Purchase of new retail coolers, flash freezer, and holding coolers for slaughter facility.	Glenwood	Pope
La Michoacana Purepecha	Purchase of a popsicle production and packaging machine.	St. Paul	Ramsey
Midwest Meats	Purchase of vacuum stuffer, meat grinder, beef splitting saw, vacuum sealer, and other meat processing equipment.	New York Mills	Otter Tail
NativeWise	Building a value-added food storage facility, including refrigeration and freezer.	Sawyer	Carlton
Nerstrand	Expanding processing capacity with new smokehouses, coolers, a freezer, and packaging machine.	Lake City	Wabasha
Perennial Pantry	Purchase of a flour sifter, flour air conveyor, can sealer, and can labeler for new Kernza cracker dough manufacturing facility.	Burnsville	Dakota
Petty Brothers Meats	Purchase of a thermoforming vacuum packaging machine.	Annandale	Wright
Popple Creek	Purchase of elderberry processing and packaging equipment.	Clearbrook	Clearwater
Redhead Creamery	Purchase of milk bottling, distillery safety, and cheese processing equipment.	Brooten	Stearns
Rookie Farmers	Purchase of decortication equipment used to process industrial hemp into fiber and hurd.	South Haven	Stearns
Sno Pac	Purchase of packaging line for frozen vegetable retail packing.	Caledonia	Houston
Sprout MN	Purchase of labeling, packing, traceability, and kitchen equipment for value-added food businesses.	Little Falls	Morrison
TC Farm	Purchase of venting hood, cooling unit, and blast cooler to increase food safety and efficiency.	Minnetonka	Hennepin
The Donut Trap	Purchase of donut production equipment (refrigerator, oven, mixer, proofer, hood system, etc.)	Saint Paul	Ramsey
Thoj Group	Purchase of box truck to maintain freshness of perishable greens during transport.	Saint Paul	Ramsey
Vikings and Goddesses	Purchase of oven and associated HVAC updates for bakery.	Saint Paul	Ramsey
Von Hanson’s	Purchase of sausage stuffer.	Plymouth	Hennepin
7 Vines Vineyard	Purchase of wine bottling line.	Dellwood	Washington

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Fiscal Year 2022
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
12 Lake Farms LLC	Equipment	Purchase equipment to automate pumpkin seed processing	Chisago City	Chisago
3Hmong Sausage	Equipment	Acquire a sausage linking machine	Saint Paul	Ramsey
Back Home Farms	Equipment	Purchase equipment and physical improvements for processing poultry on site	Park Rapids	Hubbard
Bolton Bees	Equipment	Make production improvements with honey extraction and wax rendering equipment, temperature controlled honey storage, and product transport vehicle	Saint Paul	Ramsey
Brand Farms	Equipment	Purchase a mechanical egg washer	Farmington	Dakota
Carlson Meat Shop	Equipment	Purchase meat slicer and meat mixer	Grove City	Meeker
Civil Sass	Equipment	Buy post processing cold chain storage unit	Chatfield	Fillmore
Clean Chickens and Co.	Equipment	Purchase equipment to process Halal goat meat	Elk River	Sherburne
Country Blossom Farm LLC	Equipment	Purchase apple cider production equipment	Alexandria	Douglas
Dutch House Confections	Equipment	Purchase a cooker to double caramel cooking capacity	Nelson	Douglas
Foley Locker Inc.	Equipment	Purchase of equipment for sausage kitchen to increase production and label products for those with food allergies and sensitivities	Foley	Benton
Fresha LLC	Equipment	Acquire equipment to cut, peel, sort, bag, and expand line production capacity of baby cut carrots	Morris	Stevens
Gardner Family Farm LLC	Equipment	Become an E2 poultry slaughter plant with purchase of processing equipment	Spring Grove	Houston
Golden Hawk Farm	Equipment	Acquire processing facility equipment	Mabel	Houston
Midwest Meats LLC	Equipment	Add a kill floor and purchase production equipment	New York Mills	Otter Tail
Millerville Cooperative Creamery Association	Equipment	Purchase a butter churn and a refrigerated truck to expand distribution territory	Brandon	Douglas
MinnTofu LLC	Equipment	Expand tofu production lines	Spring Lake Park	Anoka
North Fork Distillery LLC	Equipment	Expand fluid milk processing, double cheese producing capacity, and adding North Fork Distillery - which at this time would be the world's first-ever cow-milk-whey on-farm distillery	Brooten	Stearns
Northwest Grains International LLC	Equipment	Purchase food grade non-GMO soybean handling system	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Nystrom Orchard	Equipment	Purchase a cider press	Worthington	Nobles
TC Farm	Equipment	Expand market access though purchase of refrigerated delivery vans, warehouse equipment, food processing, manufacturing, and packaging equipment	Minnetonka	Hennepin
TFC Poultry LLC	Equipment	Install a chilled water system to cool plant air and cool the process water used in high-pressure deboning machines	Ashby	Grant
U.S. 212 Beef Corporation	Equipment	Purchase Foss MeatMaster II x-ray analysis equipment and conveyor belt line equipment	Buffalo Lake	Renville

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Fiscal Year 2021
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
MN Meats and Markets (Schaefer's Market)	Equipment	Build meat processing and sausage production facility	Sauk Centre	Stearns
Harry's Frozen Foods	Equipment	Automate cheese application for frozen pizza	Elrosa	Stearns
Stickney Hill Dairy	Equipment	Increase milk processing with reverse osmosis/ultra filtration equipment	Rockville	Stearns
Milk and Honey Ciders	Equipment	Enhance shelf stabilization with beverage equipment purchase	Saint Joseph	Stearns
Backroad Meats	Equipment	Increase productivity of bacon with processing and packaging equipment	Milaca	Mille Lacs
ForageScape Farm, LLC	Equipment	Increase egg production with purchase of automated egg washing/candling equipment	Onamia	Mille Lacs
Foley Locker, Inc.	Equipment	Purchase grinder, tumbler, and sanitizing equipment	Foley	Benton
Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed	Equipment	Build out meat processing room and purchase equipment to grind, portion and package fresh grass-fed beef	Becker	Sherburne
Lower Sioux Indian Community	Equipment	Buy hemp processing equipment to process hemp hurd and make hempcrete	Morton	Renville
Schwarzrock Meat Market, Inc.	Equipment	Convert building for slaughter and hog processing, and purchase walk-in carcass cooler, refrigerated delivery truck, and other equipment	Hutchinson	McLeod
Vertical Malt	Equipment	Invest in ten-ton malting system	Fisher	Polk
Lorentz Etc., Inc. (Lorentz Meats)	Equipment	Build hide processing building and dry good packaging storage building and purchase equipment	Cannon Falls	Goodhue
Big River Beverage Company, LLC	Equipment	Increase production with purchase of brew kettle, keg washer, sanke kegs, and additional cold storage	Goodview	Winona
Austin Williams	Equipment	Acquire equipment for new meat processing center	Brewster	Nobles
Morgan's Meat Market	Equipment	Upgrade production equipment, purchase new smokehouse, and replace production room floor	New Richland	Waseca
Prairie Meats, Inc.	Equipment	Start second production line and resurface floor in processing, slaughter, and retail area	Danube	Renville
SnoPac Foods	Equipment	Purchase sliver sizer removal and conveyor equipment	Caledonia	Houston
Featherstone Farm	Equipment	Construct addition to warehouse and cooler upgrade	Rushford	Fillmore
Benson + Turner Foods, Inc.	Equipment	Construct USDA-inspected meat processing plant and purchase equipment	Waubun	Mahnomen
Clean Chickens and Co.	Equipment	Purchase truck and aluminum trailer for mobile poultry processing	Elk River	Sherburne
Zup's Market-Babbitt	Equipment	Buy sausage stuffer and linker to expand product line	Babbitt	Saint Louis
Love Creamery	Equipment	Remodel production facility and support ice cream production	Two Harbors	Lake
Ranchers Legacy US OP, LLC	Equipment	Integrate Tomahawk TM-400 forming system to increase production capacity	Vadnais Heights	Ramsey
Bare Honey, LLC	Equipment	Create single-serve honey processing and packaging	Maplewood	Ramsey
Sovereign Estate Winery	Equipment	Upgrade bottling line	Waconia	Carver
Concord Fresh Meat, Inc.	Equipment	Purchase Indoor cooler, rail system, refrigerated truck, indoor freezer unit, and processing cooler	South St. Paul	Dakota
Quebracho, LLC	Equipment	Sustain growth with purchase of new empanada press, food/meat grinder, and Robot Coupe continuous feed food processor	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Laune Bread, LLC	Equipment	Transform bakery and purchase equipment including bread oven	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Bang Brewing Company, LLC	Equipment	Increase production capacity with purchase of additional fermentation and lager tanks	Saint Paul	Ramsey
R&R Cultivation	Equipment	Purchase an indoor walk-in cooler, stainless steel tables, scales, reusable packaging containers, and an order preparation rack system	Roseville	Ramsey
Duluth Cider	Equipment	Expand cider production with new equipment	Duluth	Saint Louis
Midwest Meat, LLC	Equipment	Open custom exempt meat processing facility	New York Mills	Otter Tail
Foothills Orchard	Equipment	Complete fruit product lineup with equipment purchases	Little Falls	Morrison

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Fiscal Year 2020
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
Bergen Meat Processors	Equipment	Build a retail cutting room, sausage making area, smokehouse room, and food cooler to separate and expand retail and custom production	Windom	Jackson
Bolton Bees	Equipment	Purchase of an uncapping machine, wax press, plastic frames, and barrel warmer to streamline the extraction process, increase efficiency and product quality, and increase market access	Saint Paul	Ramsey
Camp Cider, LLC	Equipment	Purchase and installation of canning equipment to build out a canning space	Duluth	St. Louis
Cedar Crate Farm	Equipment	Addition of a new packshed to improve food safety and farm efficiency	Waldorf	Waseca
Clean Chickens and Co.	Equipment	Purchase of an aluminum trailer for mobile poultry processing to improve efficiency and safety	Elk River	Sherburne
Conger Meat Market	Equipment	Addition of a storage freezer to increase processing capacity	Conger	Freeborn
Dehmer's Meats, Inc.	Equipment	Purchase of a smokehouse, data loggers, and snack stick cutter to increase production	Saint Michael	Wright
Dover Processing, Inc.	Equipment	Purchase of a new vacuum stuffer and grinder to increase capacity	Dover	Olmsted
Greg's Meat Processing	Equipment	Purchase of a walk-in cooler and new refrigeration rack system to improve food safety by limiting overcrowding in existing cooler	Hampton	Dakota
Heartland Corn Products	Equipment	Purchase and installation of two new fermenters to increase ethanol production, corn processing, and fermentation capacity	Winthrop	Sibley
Hoyo	Equipment	Construction of 1,700 square foot production facility	Minneapolis	Hennepin
LocAle Brewing Company, LLC	Equipment	Purchase of a new glycol chiller, packaging equipment, kegs, hoses, and tanks to increase efficiency and expand markets	Mankato	Blue Earth
Lorentz Meat	Equipment	Purchase equipment for processing to add capacity and product variation to keep up with slaughter capacity	Cannon Falls	Goodhue
Midwest Elderberry Cooperative	Equipment	Purchase of four Moe rotary elderberry destemmers and two trailers with stabilizers for use by an increasing number of elderberry farmer-coop members in Minnesota	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Millerville Cooperative Creamery Association	Feasibility	Examine the feasibility of the plan to build a new butter processing plant to replace aged facility	Brandon	Douglas
Minnesota Native Landscapes	Equipment	Purchase of a Satake Color Sorter to improve seed cleaning operations	Otsego	Wright
NETZRO, SBC	Feasibility	Demonstrate feasibility of upcycling eggshell scrap into safe, high-quality ingredients for human and pet foods and supplements	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Other Half Processing	Equipment	Purchase of a refrigerated trailer to improve the quality and economics of raw beef hide collection	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Protein Sources Milling, LLC	Equipment	Purchase of an automated micro ingredient system to help improve production capacity and accuracy for finished swine feed rations	Mapleton	Blue Earth
Saltless Sea Urban Farm	Equipment	Build a wash station, walk-in cooler, solar dehydrator, and supplies for flower and herb processing to improve the quality and lifespan of fresh garden products	Duluth	St. Louis
Soyko International, Inc.	Equipment	Purchase cleaning, conditioning, and handling equipment for the soybean food grade plant expansion	Gary	Norman
Stony Creek Dairy	Equipment	Install a different pasteurization system and fill line to capture another market with another label and flavor and add a container hauling truck to the fleet	Melrose	Stearns
Stony Ridge Foods, Inc.	Equipment	Purchase and installation of an electric eye and four grain bins with conveyors and legs to create a second dry edible bean processing line	Benson	Swift
TFC Poultry	Equipment	Purchase of a mechanical separator to increase the quantity and value of residual turkey meat after de-boning processes	Ashby	Grant
The Good Acre	Equipment	Improve Incubator Kitchen Program by upgrading equipment to increase production and maintain a high level of food safety and by building a new loading area	Falcon Heights	Ramsey
University of Fisheries, LLC	Feasibility	Evaluate the feasibility of expanding into a new product line of crispy fish chips	Minneapolis	Hennepin

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Fiscal Year 2019
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
4 Directions Development Inc dba Red Lake Fishery	Equipment	Equipment and facility converting fish waste to liquid fertilizer	Red Lake	Beltrami
Auntie Annie’s Fields LLC	Equipment	Walk-in cooler and egg washer; Pouring concrete to improve truck loading and unloading	Dundas	Rice
Baker's Field Flour and Bread LLC	Equipment	Doughnut making equipment, burr mill, freezer	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Brand Farms	Equipment	Apple washing equipment, sizer, and conveyor	Farmington	Dakota
CannonBelles Cheese	Equipment	Cheese processing facility	Northfield	Dakota
Concept Processing LLC	Equipment	Creamery equipment and refrigerated transportation	Melrose	Stearns
Dehmer’s Meats Inc	Equipment	Food safety software and data loggers, utensil washer, meat slicer	St. Michael	Wright
Dombrovski Meats	Equipment	Three smokehouses, slicer, drying room	Foley	Benton
Doppeleichen Vineyards	Equipment	Wine production building and equipment	New Ulm	Brown
Doubting Thomas Farms	Equipment	Grain cleaning equipment, bag sewer, bird spikes, auger, and storage area	Moorhead	Clay
Epitome Energy	Equipment	Equipment for soybean crush and bio-diesel production facility	Red Wing	Goodhue
First District Association	Equipment	Cheese processing equipment for block cheese	Litchfield	Meeker
Fresha LLC	Equipment	Facility and equipment to store, sort, wash, and package fresh carrots for the whole sale market	Morris	Stevens
Grandma's Gourmets LLC	Equipment	Co-packing facility	Albert Lea	Freeborn
Greg’s Meat Processing LLC	Equipment	Remodeled sausage and smokehouse production areas; refrigeration for production area	Hampton	Dakota
Grlk LLC	Equipment	Food processor, piton filler, utility cart, and air compressor	West St. Paul	Dakota
Heartland Corn Products	Equipment	Stillage tank; Converts distiller grains to animal feed	Winthrop	Sibley
Heartland Corn Products Inc	Equipment	Upgrades to corn milling and grain receiving pit & leg at ethanol plant	Winthrop	Sibley
Itasca County	Equipment	Gas-fired kiln, six way splitter, and baskets to allow for improved drying of lumber for campfire wood	Grand Rapids	Itasca
Kate Ingrid Paul (Owl Forest Farm)	Equipment	Storage and processing facility with walk-in cooler for produce and cut flowers	Iron	St. Louis
Lake Haven Custom Meat Processing LLC	Equipment	Data logger, smoker, stuffer, slicer, and mixer for poultry processing	Sturgeon Lake	Pine
Lakes Area Cooperative	Equipment	Meat smoker	Perham	Otter Tail
L'Etoile du Nord Vineyard LLC	Equipment	Wine making equipment	Parkers Prairie	Douglas
Lindsey Borst - Moo House Craft Dairy	Equipment	On-farm milk processing plant to bottle milk for direct sale to consumers	Rochester	Olmsted
Lingen Dairy Soft Serve	Equipment	Soft serve ice cream truck	Balaton	Murray
Lucas W Peterson (Peterson Farms)	Equipment	Grain cleaning facility	Dawson	Lac qui Parle
Mackenthun's Meats & Deli	Equipment	Concrete floor; circulation venting for freezer floor	St. Bonifacius	Hennepin
McDonald’s Meats Inc	Equipment	Remodeled meat processing facility to meet food safety standards	Clear Lake	Sherburne
Medford Creek Natural Apiaries	Equipment	Automatic capper	Medford	Steele
Metz's Hart-Land Creamery	Equipment	Vat pasteurizer, holding tank, hardening cabinet, freezer, and delivery vehicle for gelato production	Rushford	Winona
NewStarch Solutions LLC	Equipment	Modified single screw extruder to convert corn starch resin into corn starch sheets	Plymouth	Hennepin
Northern Pride	Equipment	Upgraded packaging equipment with case erector, box former, and robotic palletizing capabilities; Automated injection equipment	Thief River Falls	Pennington
Oak Meadow Meats	Equipment	Horizontal slicer	Harmony	Dakota
Ole's Up Nort Meats & Processing	Equipment	Meat processing facility	Henning	Otter Tail
Organic Breezy Hill LLC	Equipment	Pasteurizer for the bottling of organic apple juice and associated physical improvements to address food safety issues	Maple Lake	Wright
Prairie Meats Inc	Equipment	Meat processing and retail facility	Danube	Renville
Regeneration Farms	Equipment	Mobile poultry processing unit	Northfield	Rice
RGI Rental LLC (dba Backroad Meats)	Equipment	Meat processing facility and equipment	Milaca	Mille Lacs
Rod's Berry Farm	Equipment	Used cooler to store berries post-harvest	North Branch	Chisago
RS Grain LLC	Equipment	Cleaning and sorting equipment for small grains	Euclid	Polk
Sawtooth Mountain Maple Syrup Co	Equipment	Maple syrup evaporating equipment	Grand Marais	Cook
Schaefer’s Market	Equipment	Smokehouse	Sauk Centre	Stearns
Spring Wind Farm LLC	Equipment	Construction of a packshed and related equipment to support CSA	Northfield	Dakota
Star of the North Bean LLC	Equipment	Cleaning, packaging, and conveyor equipment to put dry beans into reusable square plastic containers	Gary	Norman
Stittsworth Smokehouse Co	Equipment	High throughput meat processing equipment	Turtle River	Beltrami
TFC Poultry	Equipment	X-Ray machine for turkey processing to detect physical contaminants in boneless turkey products	Ashby	Grant
V M Grocery Locker	Equipment	Retail store and sausage kitchen	Leota	Nobles
Valley Butchery and Meat Market LLC	Equipment	Smokehouse, walk-in cooler, saw, grinder, linker, cutting tables, and freezer	Spring Valley	Fillmore
Wiste’s Meat Market LLC	Equipment	Meat processing, packaging, and refrigeration equipment	Janesville	Waseca
Yker Meat Co LLC	Equipment	Butchering facility; mobile sausage making unit	Carlton	Carlton
Yker Meat Co LLC	Equipment	Equipment and facility to process and retail meat	Carlton	Carlton
Benson and Turner Foods LLC	Feasibility Study	Developing plan for a farm to table butcher shop with a USDA or state equivalent slaughter floor and processing plant	Waubun	Mahnomen
Blue Water Farms LLC	Feasibility Study	Creating a strategic plan and business roadmap for a sustainable, intensive system for production of walleye and saugeye	Welch	Goodhue
Dennis Egan, Epitome Energy	Feasibility Study	Planning for the construction of a crush facility to produce oil and meal from specialty bean crops	Red Wing	Goodhue
Lynn S Brakke	Feasibility Study	Evaluating the feasibility of selling a ground, dried, organic sugar beet product as a feed ingredient to certified organic dairies	Moorhead	Clay
MANNA Food Co-op	Feasibility Study	Investigating ways to improve the food distribution system between farmers/producers and businesses purchasing food (retail and food service) within a 100-mile radius of Detroit Lakes	Detroit Lakes	Becker
Simply Shrimp LLC	Feasibility Study	Evaluating the opportunities and risks of establishing two additional aquaculture facilities at the businesses current location	Willmar	Kandiyohi
Squash Blossom Farm	Feasibility Study	Assessing the feasibility of producing and marketing mead (honey wine) using locally sourced honey and fruits	Oronoco	Olmsted

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Fiscal Year 2018
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
Bare Honey	Equipment	Purchase of equipment needed to modernize the facility to include pallet storage, and update the label application process to meet the packaging requirements of Amazon.com	Maplewood	Ramsey
Bemidji Brewing Company LLC	Equipment	Purchase and installation of a brite tank as well as additional kegs, hoses, and a transfer pump to meet growing demand	Bemidji	Beltrami
Bushmills Ethanol Inc	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to increase ethanol production and generate on-site the majority of electricity it needs for production as well as provide capacity for future expansion	Atwater	Kandiyohi
Canosia Grove LLC	Equipment	Construction of a cidery adding value to the orchard yield, creating a market for other local fruit producers, growing the cider market and adding jobs to the local agriculture and agritourism industries	Duluth	St. Louis
Concept Processing	Equipment	Purchase of equipment as part of a three part expansion project: Creamery Manufacturing, Distribution Efficiency and Label Update, and Refrigeration Transportation	Melrose	Stearns
Curly Girlz Candy	Equipment	Remodel of a site for use as a commercial kitchen/manufacturing space including purchase of manufacturing equipment to meet current demand and expand markets	Medford	Steele
Double Take Salsa	Equipment	Purchase of kitchen equipment and facility improvements to start a commercial kitchen for increased production	Edina	Hennepin
Dutch House Confections, LLC	Equipment	Purchase of equipment and conversion of part of the facility into a packing room to sufficiently control the temperature and humidity to increase production and enter new markets	Nelson	Douglas
Foley Locker Inc	Equipment	Purchase of a slicer, cutting machine and automatic clipper in order to comply with food safety regulations as well as expansion of the product line	Foley	Benton
Foothills Orchard	Equipment	Purchase of the components for a commercial kitchen as well as a freezer and drive-in cooler for season extension	Little Falls	Morrison
Heartland Corn Products	Equipment	Installation of a cooling tower, distillation system, and molecular sieve bottles to increase overall capacity while debottlenecking areas that were limiting growth	Winthrop	Sibley
Hemp Acres LLC	Equipment	Purchase of seed storing, seed cleaning, pressing, and sifting equipment to make hemp oil and refined hemp cake as well as equipment for packaging and labeling	Waconia	Carver
Jenniges Meat Processing	Equipment	Purchase of a mixer, splitting saw, and vacuum sealer to increase volume and efficiency	Brooten	Stearns
Jirik Family Farms	Equipment	Purchase of maple syrup and honey processing equipment to improve efficiency, food safety and to add value to the products	Kilkenny	Le Sueur
KellyG's	Equipment	Purchase of a freezer to increase efficiency and production, meet consumer demand, and ensure food safety	Bovey	Itasca
Krenik's Meat Processing Inc	Equipment	Purchase of equipment upgrade and modernize small custom and retail meat processing facility, including more diverse products, increased production and improvement of efficiency and food safety	Montgomery	Le Sueur
Lakes Area Cooperative	Equipment	Purchase of a bacon slicer for retail and custom processing	Perham	Otter Tail
Lee Thomas Farm	Equipment	Purchase of grain cleaning, bagging, and stitching equipment to provide emerging market demands	Moorhead	Clay
Let's Dish!	Equipment	Purchase of equipment in expanded production space to increase volume of local processors/farms, expanded distribution as well as improving food safety	Woodbury	Washington
Loon Organics Inc	Equipment	Construction of a winterized GAP-compliant packshed and purchase of equipment to increase sales and markets of extended season produce through season extension activities, increased employment and food safety improvements	Hutchinson	McLeod
Lorentz Meats	Equipment	Renovation and improvements to equipment for the slaughter floor including installation of work systems, drainage system, conveyer system, and rail system to increase production capacity	Cannon Falls	Goodhue
Love Creamery	Equipment	Purchase of equipment and facility improvements to increase sales, improve food safety and meet customer demand	Two Harbors	Lake
Lupulin Brewing	Equipment	Installation of a new brew house, bright tanks, fermenters, cooler, chiller system, grain silo, and upgrade of utility system increase production, add value, and increase efficiency	Big Lake	Sherburne
Mackenthun's Meats and Deli	Equipment	Remodel of kitchen and prep area with purchase of a hot case and refrigerated prep case to increase sales, improve food safety and increase energy efficiency	St. Bonifacius	Hennepin
Minneapolis Cider Company LLC d/b/a Number 12 Cider House	Equipment	Establish an urban production facility and tap room for hard cider in Minneapolis to increase production, expand markets, and increase sales and visibility of Minnesota made hard cider	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Northern Pride	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to provide a more efficient and safe slaughter process	Thief River Falls	Pennington
Northern Waters Smokehaus	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to transfer meat processing, smoking and mail order operation to a new location to expand production to meet demand, produce more efficiency and safely, increase consumption of local products and expand markets	Duluth	St. Louis
Open Hands Farm LLC	Equipment	Construction of a drive-in cooler for vegetable storage in the fall and winter	Northfield	Rice
Papa George's	Equipment	Purchase of a refrigerated truck to access new markets	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Petty Brothers Meats Inc	Equipment	Construction of a new custom exempt slaughter facility and equipment	Annandale	Wright
Prairie Drifter Farm	Equipment	Expansion of packshed and purchase of equipment to increase food safety and product sales from the farm	Litchfield	Meeker
Sawtooth Mountain Maple Syrup Company	Equipment	Purchase of new maple syrup processing equipment to meet demand, expand markets and increase capacity	Lutsen	Cook
Schneider Custom Meats	Equipment	Purchase of a smokehouse and smoke generator to increase volume of meat and create new products to offer to customers	Askov	Pine
Sno Pac Foods	Equipment	Installation of two UVC emitter systems to increase the quality and safety of the produce grown and processed	Caledonia	Houston
Soyko International	Equipment	Completion of a new storage facility and installation of bagging/pelletizing equipment to increase production of food-grade soybeans, provide another marketing outlet for local farmers and diversify markets overseas	Gary	Norman
Stinson Meat Market	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to start a custom exempt butcher shop to provide the service needed by local producers as well as set up of a retail meat area	Dakota	Winona
Sunrise Flour Mill Inc	Equipment	Purchase of milling equipment to increase flour production, meet customer demand, and reduce risk quality and quantity	North Branch	Chisago
TFC Poultry	Equipment	Purchase of a wastewater treatment equipment to increase water efficiencies in response to increase demand for turkeys from previously purchased equipment	Ashby	Grant
Torg Brewery	Equipment	Purchase of a brewhouse system and facility improvements to update current space into a production facility to increase sales	Andover	Anoka
Waxwing Farm	Equipment	Installation of a commercial walk in cooler and purchase of additional washing and sorting equipment to store more produce at optimum temperatures for longer periods of time	Webster	Rice
Whistling Well Farm	Equipment	Purchase and installation of a stainless steel apple washing unit and variable speed brushes it improve food safety and fruit quality	Hastings	Dakota
White Earth Band of Chippewa Tribe	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to increase profitability and expand markets of Native American produced products in the White Earth Reservation and Minnesota	White Earth	Becker
Bent River Organics	Feasibility Study	Explore adding value to dried garlic scapes and black garlic as seasoning and health benefits through further processing	Mankato	Blue Earth
Bushmills Ethanol Inc	Feasibility Study	Bushmills would like to explore the feasibility of purchasing additional equipment and expanding ethanol production by 20 Million gallons	Atwater	Kandiyohi
Sunrise Flour Mill Inc	Feasibility Study	Sunrise Flour Mill wants to expand their product line while incorporating other MN grains into their product line	North Branch	Chisago
Winona's Hemp	Feasibility Study	Winona’s Hemp is requesting funding to complete a feasibility study to develop a small scale artisan processing for hemp fiber, fabric, paper and by-products that would include capital costs and markets opportunities	Ponsford	Becker

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Fiscal Year 2017
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
Al-Corn Clean Fuel LTD	Equipment	Overhaul of corn processing facility and construction of dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS) storage silos to improve efficiency and profitability of production of value-added products, including DDGS	Claremont	Dodge
Alexis Bailly Vineyard	Equipment	Purchase of a bladder press to increase sales and profitability of the business by improving quality of the wine	Hastings	Dakota
Ann River Vineyard LLC	Equipment	Construction of a winery facility and purchase of grape and wine processing equipment to diversify market channels and increase economic sustainability of the farm	Mora	Kanabec
Belgrade Meat Center	Equipment	Purchase of two Pro Smoker Smoke Houses increasing production to expand sales in on-site retail store to meet demand	Belgrade	Stearns
Big Steer Meats	Equipment	Purchase of dual printing scales, walk-in freezer, ball former and knee lever stainless steel sinks to address food safety and increase efficiency and number of meat products and thereby expand sales	St. Paul	Ramsey
Bolton Bees	Equipment	Facility improvements to a new honey house to improve efficiency, increase production and improve food safety	St. Paul	Ramsey
Buckwheat Growers Association	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to modernize facility to increase processing efficiency and capacity, shelf life, and increase sales	Menahga	Wadena
Carl's Lefse	Equipment	Purchase of several pieces of equipment to increase food safety, production capacity and efficiency to meet increased demand and expand markets	Hawley	Clay
City Foods Studio LLC	Equipment	Install and purchase walk-in cooler/freezer unit, exhaust hood, sink and upgraded electrical service to increase production, storage capacity and number of start-up food production businesses that can utilize this incubator kitchen	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Conger Meat Market LLC	Equipment	Build new walk-in cooler, knock boxes, rails and racking and purchase equipment to increase efficiencies, expand number of value-added meat products, and enter new wholesale markets	Conger	Freeborn
Country Blossom Farm LLC	Equipment	Purchase of several pieces of equipment to process fruit and crust ingredients more efficiently, meet increased demand, increase sales and add to value-added offerings	Alexandria	Douglas
Dehmer's Meats Inc	Equipment	Facility upgrades and installation of a smokehouse and purchase a sausage mixer and water activity meter kit to be able to safely produce new product lines	St. Michael	Wright
Dombrovski Meats	Equipment	Purchase of a jerky packaging machine and smokehouse to increase efficiencies in production and packaging to increase sales	Foley	Benton
Dover Processing Inc	Equipment	Purchase of a Vacuum Packaging System to increase efficiency of packaging, sales, and expanding to new markets	Dover	Olmsted
Dumpling and Strand, Noodlers at Large LLC	Equipment	Purchase and install a modified atmosphere packaging tray sealer to increase production rates and shelf life and enter new markets	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Erdmans County Market	Equipment	Purchase and install a roll stock vacuum packing machine, automatic tie clipper, water activity meter, pH meter, refrigerated cooler, and wireless data loggers to address food safety requirements as increase product line and production efficiency	Kasson	Dodge
Glacial Grains Spirits	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to being processing organic distillers grains produced from MN-sourced organic corn which will expand and diversify markets	Benson	Swift
Grandmas Gourmets LLC	Equipment	Purchase and install a steam kettle and food processor to enhance production efficiencies, increase capacity, and expand sales to new wholesale accounts	Albert Lea	Freeborn
Greg's Meat Processing	Equipment	Purchase of automated slicer, stainless steel equipment, and patty former to produce new products, expand private label and wholesale markets which will increase profitability	Hampton	Dakota
Guardian Energy LLC	Equipment	Installation of a fermenter to increase ethanol production, improved yields, and better per gallon energy efficiency	Janesville	Waseca
Heart O' Lakes Quality Meats	Equipment	Purchase two freezer units and construction of an addition to be able to slaughter more livestock and further process more retail meat	Pelican Rapids	Otter Tail
JonnyPops LLC	Equipment	Purchase and install new equipment for each area of the manufacturing line to increase production capacity and efficiency while reducing food safety risks	St. Louis Park	Hennepin
Kettle River Pizza Inc	Equipment	Conversion and improvement of cooler to freezer to improve process of shipping and handling, and increase production, sales, and profitability	Askov	Pine
K-FAITH LLC dba the Meat Shoppe	Equipment	Facility improvements to bring facility up to codes and allow as licensing as wells as purchase of walk-in cooler and retail case to increase market access to livestock processing services	Granite Falls	Yellow Medicine
Klein Foods Inc	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to improve efficiency in honey processing and meet FMSA requirements with traceability to boost sales	Marshall	Lyon
Lang's Meat Market LLC	Equipment	Purchase and install two retail fresh meat refrigeration cases and two freezer doors to maintain quality and ensure food safety of meat products to maintain customer base	Gaylord	Sibley
Loon Liquors	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to increase all sides of production: mashing, fermentation, distillation, storage and bottling with each piece designed to increase food safety	Northfield	Rice
Mackenthun's Meats and Deli Inc	Equipment	Purchase and install a large freezer to enable production of a larger variety of sausages and increase profits	St. Bonifacius	Hennepin
McDonald's Meats Inc	Equipment	Construction of a large addition to their slaughtering and meat processing facility to expand market outlets by processing more local livestock and expanding product offerings	Clear Lake	Sherburne
Michael G Erickson Farms	Equipment	Purchase of a grain cleaning unit to prepare hemp for further processing which will diversify farm income and increase profitability of farm business	East Grand Forks	Polk
Mighty Axe Hops	Equipment	Purchase equipment to process local hops into pellets to enable sales to more markets and increase profitability of hop farmers' businesses	Foley	Benton
Mills Locker Plant	Equipment	Purchase a vacuum stuffer with a twist linker to increase uniformity of meat products and efficiency of production	New York Mills	Otter Tail
Minnesota Syrup Co	Equipment	Purchase and install an updated and larger evaporator to increase syrup quality, food safety and efficiency of syrup production	Finland	Lake
Nelson Shine Produce	Equipment	Purchase of equipment and upgrades to the poultry processing plant to increase processing efficiency and food to safety, diversify markets and continue business growth	Brainerd	Crow Wing
Odenthal Meats	Equipment	Expand and remodel processing facility including purchase of equipment to create for efficient production flow, improve food safety and maintain current private label markets	New Prague	LeSueur
Ody's Country Meats & Catering Inc	Equipment	Construction of a drip cooler to increase food safety and production efficiency and capacity of meat products from local beef and hogs	Spring Valley	Fillmore
River Rock Kitchen & Baking Co	Equipment	Purchase of equipment including a walk in cooler and walk in freezer to expand production as well as flooring, sink and steel work tables to increase food safety	St. Peter	Nicollet
Schroeder Meats LLC	Equipment	Purchase a larger carcass splitting saw to decrease splitting time, increase food safety, and benefit local livestock producers	New Germany	Carver
Seeds Farm	Equipment	Build a new space and purchase equipment to wash, process, prepare and store vegetables to meet food safety standards, improve efficiency and increase market access	Northfield	Rice
Smude Enterprises LLC	Equipment	Purchase a filter system and new equipment for custom bottling of oils to diversify markets and services	Pierz	Morrison
Sogn Valley Orchard	Equipment	Facility improvements to improve the efficiency of apple washing and packaging to increase sales	Dennison	Goodhue
Stittsworth Meats	Equipment	Construction of new building for USDA ready to eat processing and new USDA Mobile slaughter trailer to diversify local livestock farmers and increase processing capacity	Bemidji	Beltrami
TFC Poultry	Equipment	Purchase and install 2 water jet deboners and peripheral equipment to enhance food safety, meat processing efficiency and production and thereby expand markets	Ashby	Grant
The Good Acre	Equipment	Purchase of four pieces of processing equipment to increase market access for underserved farmers	Falcon Heights	Ramsey
The Hess Meat Market	Equipment	Purchase of two commercial trailers and an enclosed trailer to market to open up a new revenue stream, build a customer base, and increase profits from the farm	Victoria	Carver
Valley Natural Meats Inc	Equipment	Facility and equipment costs to retrofit a plant according to food safety requirements to increase niche MN livestock producers' market access	Northfield	Rice
Vertical Malt	Equipment	Purchase equipment to increase processing efficiencies, capacity and types of products produces to grow the business to be sustainable	Fisher	Polk
Von Hanson's Plymouth	Equipment	Purchase of equipment to increase food safety, produce more meat products, as well as market more efficiently to increase sales and generate more sales	Plymouth	Hennepin
Buckwheat Growers	Feasibility Study	Buckwheat Growers determined if a retail environment might be a way to increase sales of their products	Wadena	Wadena
Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co	Feasibility Study	Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company evaluated emerging technologies in the advanced biofuels and biochemical industry	Benson	Swift
Glacial Grain Spirits	Feasibility Study	Glacial Grains Spirits (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company) determined the potential market for organic dried distillers grains production	Benson	Swift
L'Etoile du Nord Vineyard LLC	Feasibility Study	Explored the possibility of higher utilization of the wine making equipment by using it to produce grape wine, mead, and other fruit wines	Parkers Prairie	Douglas
Mark Lange	Feasibility Study	Explored the feasibility of adding an on farm dairy processing facility to the existing dairy operation, and to market local, primarily grass-fed, Vat-Pasteurized fluid milk, and butter	Sherburn	Martin
Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Beet Cooperative	Feasibility Study	Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative studied expanding the further processing of surplus sugar beets, sugar beet co-products, and their waste stream by-products	Renville	Renville

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Fiscal Year 2016
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
Alemar Cheese	Equipment	Purchase a new vat and refrigerated truck, and make facility improvements to expand markets	Mankato	Blue Earth
Askegaard Organic Farm	Equipment	Purchase equipment and make electrical upgrades to mill the flaxseed on farm and improve packaging efficiency	Moorhead	Clay
Bakers' Acres LLC	Equipment	Purchase a brush washer to increase efficiency and expand wholesale sales, including to schools	Avon	Stearns
Bergen Meat Processors	Equipment	Build expansion and purchase equipment for meat processing and retail areas to increase number of product lines	Windom	Jackson
Bio Wood Processing LLC	Equipment	Purchase a Rotochopper and colorizer to be able to produce mulch and enter new markets	Faribault	Rice
Bongards Creameries	Equipment	Construct a refrigerated warehouse and connect it to the processing plant to improve efficiency and productivity to increase co-op's cheese production for USDA commodity programs and schools	Norwood	Carver
Burt's Meats and Poultry LLC	Equipment	Build a large expansion with a cooler and freezer to improve processing efficiency and capacity	Eyota	Olmsted
Butcher Block	Equipment	Retrofit a building and purchase equipment to initiate a custom meat processing business that complies with food and meat safety regulations and serves local hog producers	Fairmont	Martin
Carl's Lefse Inc	Equipment	Purchase equipment to increase storage space, handling efficiency, and processing capacity	Hawley	Clay
Chickenhead Farm	Equipment	Purchase equipment, including a refrigerated truck, and make facility improvements to initiate an inspected goat and sheep slaughtering business	Silver Lake	McLeod
Edel's Meat Market	Equipment	Purchase deli cases and new flooring to be compliant with food code	Montgomery	Le Sueur
French Lake Butcher Shop	Equipment	Purchase and install a walk-in freezer to increase efficiency and enable continued growth of production and sales	South Haven	Wright
French Lake Butcher Shop	Equipment	Purchase a slicer to produce new meat products and increase efficiency and number of retail outlets	South Haven	Wright
Hmong American Farmers Association	Equipment	Construct an aggregation facility for growers in their Alternative Markets Program, which will increase food safety and access to additional markets, including retailers and schools	St. Paul	Dakota
Hugh's Gardens	Equipment	Purchase and install a potato washer to increase profitability and product quality and begin processing carrots	Moorhead	Norman
James Jirik	Equipment	Construct and equip a maple syrup processing facility to increase production and syrup quality	Kilkenny	Rice
Jazzy Foods LLC	Equipment	Build custom pans and shaper tool to increase the efficiency of production and profitability of a new frozen pork appetizer production business	St. Paul	Ramsey
Keepsake Cidery	Equipment	Purchase a pasteurizer, construct a cooler, and upgrade HVAC system to extend marketing season and increase food safety and product quality	Dundas	Rice
Krenik's Meat Processing Inc	Equipment	Purchase equipment to improve food safety and packaging efficiency, including convection ovens, temp logger, scale and vacuum packager	Montgomery	Rice
Krenzke Meats	Equipment	Install flooring in the cooler and cutting room to meet food safety regulations and maintain current markets	St Charles	Winona
Lakes Area Cooperative	Equipment	Install a large walk-in freezer, expand meat processing and packaging rooms, and purchase a roll stock packager to improve food safety, processing capacity, and efficiency	Perham	Otter Tail
L'Etoile du Nord Vineyard LLC	Equipment	Purchase equipment and retrofit a building into a wine production facility to diversify markets and increase profitability	Parkers Prairie	Douglas
Living Greens Farm Inc	Equipment	Purchase flooring, walls, cooler and refrigerated truck to increase food safety, packaging, and distribution of aeroponically grown produce year-round	Faribault	Rice
Love Creamery	Equipment	Purchase ice cream maker, hardening cabinet, and transportation freezer to increase production and food safety for wholesale distribution	Two Harbors	Lake
Mankato Brewery	Equipment	Purchase fermenters and heating and cooling tanks, and renovate facility to increase production capacity	North Mankato	Nicollet
Mariner Farms LLC	Equipment	Purchase and install a biomass furnace, LED lighting, electrical service, and nutrient water flow system to remodel and expand a greenhouse and start an aquaponics business	Lutsen	Cook
McDonald's Meats Inc	Equipment	Purchase a smokehouse, vacuum stuffer, double clipper, and packaging machine to increase production capacity expand private label accounts	Clear Lake	Sherburne
Minnesota Valley Business Development Co	Equipment	Purchase produce processing and traceability equipment and vehicles to increase efficiency, capacity and food safety	Mankato	Blue Earth
Mississippi Topsoils Inc	Equipment	Purchase two in-vessel composting units, biofilter, and support equipment to serve larger volume compost-user markets	Cold Spring	Stearns
Mixmi Brands Inc	Equipment	Purchase and install equipment and refrigeration to increase capacity to serve school and retail markets	Fridley	Anoka
My Minnesota Farmer LLC	Equipment	Construct a temperature-controlled packing house and produce warehouse to increase food safety, efficiency, and processing capacity to expand wholesale accounts and marketing season	Montgomery	Le Sueur
Nelson Grass Farm	Equipment	Purchase an egg washing machine and other equipment to increase efficiency, food safety and sales of eggs and enable expansion of customer base	Ogilvie	Kanabec
Northern Excellence Seed LLC	Equipment	Retrofit unused space and purchase cleaning, grain handling, storage, color sorter, and accessory equipment to increase quality and food safety of cleaned soybeans to expand markets and diversify producers' markets	Williams	Lake of the Woods & Roseau
Red Table Meat Company LLC	Equipment	Purchase an oven to increase processing of hogs	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Redhead Creamery LLC	Equipment	Purchase a cream separator, butter churn, and dip tank to initiate production of specialty butter and expand variety of products and increase profitability of on-farm creamery	Brooten	Stearns
Sapsucker Farms	Equipment	Purchase 12 oz bottling and labeling machine and cold pasteurization system to increase efficiency and volume of hard cider produced to expand distribution	Mora	Kanabec
Sno Pac Foods	Equipment	Purchase and install UVC emitter systems in refrigerated storage and packaging areas to improve food safety and continue compliance with food safety regulations	Caledonia	Houston
So Good Brand Inc	Equipment	Purchase high pressure beverage juice processing equipment to expand sales from regional to national markets	Minneapolis	Hennepin
St. Joseph Meat Market Inc	Equipment	Purchase a sausage stuffer and packaging and retail freezer equipment to increase efficiency, marketing, and food safety	St. Joseph	Stearns
Stony Creek Dairy	Equipment	Purchase milk processing, monitoring and labeling equipment, and refrigerated trucks, and upgrade distribution facilities to increase efficiency and food safety	Melrose	Stearns
Terroir Chocolate	Equipment	Purchase stone grinder, mill, grain separator, ice cream maker and refrigeration to increase production capacity sell to more retail markets	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail
Timbersweet	Equipment	Expand the bottling room, syrup cold storage, and commercial kitchen to increase efficiency of bottling and number of product offerings	Cohasset	Itasca
Union Pizza & Brewing Company	Equipment	Improve equipment and facility to start production and distribution of non-alcoholic craft beverages	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail
Vertical Malt	Equipment	Purchase steeping tanks, malting chambers, HVAC and kiln needed to start commercial production of craft malt products	Fisher	Polk
Weiss Asparagus Farm	Equipment	Construct a building and purchase processing and packaging equipment to increase efficiency and profits	Red Lake Falls	Red Lake
Welcome Meats Inc	Equipment	Purchase a smokehouse and pellet generator with data logger system to improve meat product quality and increase product offerings	Welcome	Martin
Willmar Downtown Development Inc	Equipment	Retrofit a historic building into a food hub and commercial kitchen that will be used to clean, store, process, and aggregate local products	Willmar	Kandiyohi
Associated Milk Producers Inc	Feasibility Study	Conduct a feasibility study to expand the cheese and whey plant located in the city of Paynesville, Minn.	New Ulm	Brown
Berning Family Dairy Inc	Feasibility Study	Exploring the idea of building a creamery to supply local milk to the local school districts	Albertville	Wright
Best Animal Utilization LLC	Feasibility Study	Exploring the feasibility focused on organic and grass-fed byproduct markets (tallow, gelatin, leather) further adding value to this commodity	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Bluebird Gardens	Feasibility Study	Determine if partnerships between producers and regional processors have an expressed interest in receiving leafy greens and vegetables that are ready for use (Chopped and bagged salad mixes, peeled and chopped vegetables), to provide a year-round local supply of fresh greens and vegetables through hydroponic or aquaponics systems	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail
Country Blossom Farm LLC	Feasibility Study	Explore a value-added business idea is to develop and increase sales into 1) baked goods, and 2) dehydrated products into local wholesale outlets, food-hubs, and on-farm sales (total 2014 sales $35,000) and farmers markets	Alexandria	Douglas
Epitome Energy	Feasibility Study	Conduct a feasibility study for a new commercial scale biodiesel production facility (30 million gallons) to be located in Northeastern Minnesota	Red Wing	Goodhue
Minnesota Dehydrated Vegetables Inc	Feasibility Study	Explore the possibility of producing pea protein powder through either a dry milling/air classification system or a wet fractionation process	Fosston	Polk
Project Sweetie Pie	Feasibility Study	Explore a new venture to transform an existing greenhouse and florist retail space that faces onto a new bike greenway into a revenue generating business and a urban farm located on land that is zoned for industrial use	Minneapolis	Hennepin
The Urban Farmhands	Feasibility Study	Explore the further processing of microgreens into a more widely available through shelf-stable products, beginning with powders	Minneapolis	Hennepin

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Fiscal Year 2015
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
11 Wells Spirits Company LLC	Equipment	Purchase fermenters, bottling and grain handling equipment to enable entrance into Canadian market; Build a cocktail tasting room to enter a new type of market	St. Paul	Ramsey
APPLE JACK ORCHARDS LLC	Equipment	Upgrade value-added business to be able to make all apple bakery products on-farm and increase profitability	Delano	Wright
Autumn Woods Farm LLC	Equipment	Construct a loading dock and add a second pasteurizer to meet demand for product	Forest Lake	Washington
Backus Locker LLC	Equipment	Install a compressor, and upgrade the floor to improve safe food handling and increase the amount of meat processed	Backus	Cass
Badger Seed LLC	Equipment	Purchase and install palletizer for packaging turf grass seed to access markets	Roseau	Roseau
Bakers' Acres LLC	Equipment	Expansion and improvements to packaging room for food safety and traceability during field harvest; Washing equipment to expand for CSA, farm-to-school and wholesale markets	Avon	Stearns
Bemidji Brewing Company LLC	Equipment	Purchase equipment to triple production and meet the demand; Will purchase more Minnesota sourced or grown barley malts and hops	Bemidji	Beltrami
Bemidji Downtown Meats Inc	Equipment	Construct a new facility to process and sell more retail and wholesale products as an equal-to meat processing facility and meet the growing demand for locally raised meat	Bemidji	Beltrami
Big Steer Meats	Equipment	Enlarge facility and purchase meat processing equipment to increase efficiency and processing capacity to enter new markets and improve food safety	St. Paul	Ramsey
Blue Earth Locker	Equipment	Purchase smokehouse to produce more Ready-to-Eat products and expand markets; Also temperature probes for all coolers and freezers to improve food safety	Blue Earth	Faribault
Bluebird Gardens	Equipment	Refrigerated trucks and crates to increase market access and enable entrance into Farm to Institution program	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail
Brandt Gardens & Greenhouse LLC	Equipment	Walk in cooler and freezer and scale to increase food safety, marketability, and diversify farm business	Lakefield	Jackson
Carlos Creek Winery	Equipment	A large expansion project to modernize wine processing facility; Will increase efficiency, processing capacity, food safety and access to new markets	Alexandria	Douglas
Clover Valley Farms LLC	Equipment	Create dry and heated storage rooms, produce washing/ packing areas and improve labeling to increase efficiency and marketing of value-added products	Duluth	St. Louis
Dehmer's Meats Inc	Equipment	Purchase three scales to enable access to wholesale and private label accounts for homestyle sausages; Project will address food safety	St. Michael	Wright
ENKI Brewing Company	Equipment	Purchase brewing, quality control and packaging equipment, and cold and ambient storage to triple production capacity and purchase more Minnesota grown ingredients	Victoria	Carver
Falk's Seed Farm	Equipment	A seed color sorter and the essential facility upgrades and equipment; Will improve the quality and food safety of cleaned seeds to retain customers and access new markets	Murdock	Swift
Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables LLC	Equipment	Purchase conveyors, pallet scale and refrigerated delivery van to increase sales by improving efficiency, food safety, and market access	Rushford	Filmore
Foley Locker Inc	Equipment	Acquire smoke houses, meat packaging machine, and temperature data loggers to increase efficiency, production and food safety; should diversify markets	Foley	Benton
Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery LLC	Equipment	Purchase bottling line, tanks, keg washer and filler to expand distribution of hard cider to more retail outlets	Spring Valley	Mower
French Lake Butcher Shop	Equipment	Purchase a utensil washer to improve efficiency and food safety to help meet increasing custom processing and retail customer demand	South Haven	Wright
Greg's Meat Processing	Equipment	Purchase a ventilation hood and meat tumbler to diversify markets; Also a labeling system and moisture tester to comply with new food safety requirements	Hampton	Dakota
Greg's Meats	Equipment	Purchase a blast freezer to process more cattle and hogs for local farmers; Purchase label making scale system, and traceability equipment to address food safety	Hampton	Dakota
Idle Acres	Equipment	Expand, upgrade and equip current facilities, including a truck scale, to process alfalfa and grass into a Total Mixed Ration food biscuit	Cokato	Wright
Isanti Spirits LLC	Equipment	Purchase distillation and processing equipment to increase market access to a regional and international distribution level	Isanti	Isanti
K & K Dairy	Equipment	Establish a creamery to make dairy products and a restaurant to sell pizzas using their mozzarella cheese and beef products	Pine Island	Goodhue
Lau's Meats LLC	Equipment	Repair floor in current meat processing facility and purchase retail sale equipment in 2nd location to expand market access and increase sales	Waseca	Waseca
Lorentz Etc. Inc DBA Lorentz Meats	Equipment	Remodel the cutting floor area, including installation of a conveyor system, to optimize space and keep up with increased capacity in other areas of the facility	Cannon Falls	Goodhue
Mankato Brewery	Equipment	Obtain fermenters, brite tanks and upgraded water system to increase production capacity and beer quality; Upgrade the taproom to increase market access	North Mankato	Nicollet
McDougall's Apple Junction	Equipment	Increase the storage capacity and length of marketing time of apples by construction of a refrigerated cooler that will be accessible with a fork lift	Hastings	Washington
Metz's Hart-Land Creamery	Equipment	Purchase a 2nd cheese vat to increase efficiency and production capacity; This will enable access to additional markets with different cheeses, and increases in sales	Rushford	Winona
Metz's Hart-Land Creamery	Equipment	Purchase a power cheese curd mill, service counter scale, refrigerated delivery truck, flash freezer and retail refrigeration to make the creamery more efficient, food safe and increase market access	Rushford	Winona
Minnesota Elderberry Cooperative	Equipment	Purchase a mobile de-stemmer, stainless steel sinks and baskets, and food grade buckets to safely process and store elderberries for commercial and retail market	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Minnesota Valley Business Development	Equipment	Purchase processing equipment and additional refrigeration to expand the sale of locally grown produce to institutions	Mankato	Blue Earth
Mississippi Topsoils Inc	Equipment	Install a climate-controlled storage warehouse to increase production throughout the year and enable access to the new greenhouse grower market	Cold Spring	Stearns
Norseman Distillery LLC	Equipment	Purchase fermenter tanks and a hammer mill grinder to triple production and increase their purchases of locally grown grains	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Open Hands Farm LLC	Equipment	Build a root vegetable storage facility, add refrigeration equipment and storage bins to improve food safety, enable extension of the marketing season and access to new markets	Northfield	Dakota
Prairie Drifter Farm	Equipment	Purchase fencing, pack shed sorting surfaces, containers, a brush washer, and improvements to the pack shed to increase field quality of produce, cleanliness, and efficiency of post harvest handling operations	Litchfield	Meeker
Robin Brekken Farms Inc	Equipment	Purchase a mobile grass pelletizing system including mobile generator, trailer, and scale to diversify markets and enable market access of damaged grains	Crookston	Polk
Sawtooth Mountain Maple Syrup Company	Equipment	Purchase and install larger reverse osmosis machine to increase production capacity and efficiency to allow expansion into new markets	Grand Marais	Cook
Schmidt's Meat Market	Equipment	Purchase a thermoforming packaging machine which supports their food safety plan, increases efficiencies, and should increase custom meat processing for local farmers	Nicollet	Nicollet
Schroeder Meats LLC	Equipment	Purchase Poly Clip System machine, data loggers and retail freezer case to produce more sausage and address efficiency and food safety concerns, including temperature control	New Germany	Carver
Seven Songs Organic Farm	Equipment	Create a food-safe washing and packing shed and dry storage area to increase packaging efficiency, market access and diversity of markets	Kenyon	Goodhue
Singing Hills Dairy	Equipment	Install equipment to improve food safety and a walk-in cooler for larger quantities of value-added goat dairy products; Will increase profitability and market access	Nerstrand	Rice
Sojourner Farms LLC (dba Sojos)	Equipment	Replace manufacturing line to meet increase in demand and new regulatory requirements; Will expand product lines, increase efficiency, food quality, and production to diversify markets	Minneapolis	Hennepin
SPROUT MN LLC	Equipment	Facility improvements and food processing equipment for a food hub to increase local producers' profitability and markets including institutions	Brainerd & Little Falls	Crow Wing & Morrison
St. Joseph Meat Market Inc	Equipment	Expansion/remodel of meat processing space to process more local livestock as well as address employee safety and food safety	St. Joseph	Stearns
Stickney Hill Dairy	Equipment	Expand and modernize goat cheesemaking facility to meet new food safety requirements and increase production to meet demand and diversify producer's markets	Kimball	Stearns
Sweet Cheeks Honey	Equipment	Purchase food-grade equipment to create a more sanitary processing system and increase market access; Includes implementation of a GAP food safety plan	Cleveland	Le Sueur
Sweetland Orchard LLC	Equipment	Purchase semi-automated packaging and labeling equipment, uv pasteurizer, and refrigerated delivery vehicle for greater market access and implement their food safety plan	Webster	Scott
Taylor Foods Inc dba Taylor Meats	Equipment	Purchase and install walk-in freezer/cooler units including 3 phase compressors to increase production capacity, diversify markets, and improve food safety of meat products	Watertown	Carver
The Lone Grazer Creamery	Equipment	Initiate a small creamery and cheese production facility using milk from grass-fed cows to produce specialty cheeses	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Wiste's Meat Market	Equipment	Expand processing area, install walk-in freezer and cooler, smokehouse and scales to increase efficiency, food safety, processing capacity and markets and to achieve Equal To status	Janesville	Waseca
Xochiquetzal LLC	Equipment	Facility improvements and equipment to start a commercial kitchen to enable the processing of produce, including ginger; Will diversify their markets and extend sales season	St. Cloud	Stearns

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Fiscal Year 2014
Business Name	Type of Grant	Project Summary	City	County
Alemar Cheese Company LLC	Equipment	Cold storage and other equipment to increase cheese processing capacity and diversify markets	Mankato	Blue Earth
Amundsen Farms	Equipment	Build egg processing facility with food safety measures to increase market diversity and market access for egg producers	Duluth	St. Louis
Apple Jack Orchards	Equipment	Equipment to keep in compliance with GAP, ensure fruit safety and expand wholesale market opportunities	Delano	Wright
Arlington Market	Equipment	Equipment to increase processing of local livestock and improve food safety	Arlington	Sibley
Autumnwood Farm LLC	Equipment	Equipment to initiate ice cream processing business for new market development	Forest Lake	Washington
Bemidji Downtown Meats	Equipment	Build retail space and cold storage to increase processing capacity and market access for local livestock	Bemidji	Beltrami
Big Steer Meats	Equipment	Smoke house and other equipment to expand production and allow expansion into new wholesale and retail markets	St. Paul	Ramsey
Cannon River Winery LLC	Equipment	Increase use of local grapes by purchasing tanks and other wine production equipment to increase sales to diverse markets	Cannon Falls	Goodhue
Carlos Creek Winery	Equipment	Change bottling line to increase bottling speed and options, marketing and sales to diverse markets	Alexandria	Douglas
Clover Valley Farms LLC	Equipment	Equipment to scale up culinary vinegar production; diversify markets to wholesale and retail sales	Duluth	St. Louis
Dick Stangler Seed Packaging	Equipment	Diversify local producers market access by purchasing a truck scale and packaging line	Kilkenny	Le Sueur
Eagan (City of)	Equipment	Improve food safety and market access; install electrical access to farmer's market vendors	Eagan	Dakota
Edel's Meat Market	Equipment	Equipment to expand livestock processing ability, diversify markets and improve food safety	Montgomery	Le Sueur
Evansville Meat Market	Equipment	Update building and equipment to upgrade to "equal to" meat processing to expand and diversify markets	Evansville	Douglas
Farm on St. Mathias	Equipment	Build licensed food processing facility and packing shed to increase market access and diversity for local producers	Brainerd	Crow Wing
Fergus Foods LLC	Equipment	Expand and diversify markets with packaging equipment to increase food safety and production of allergen free foods	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail
Foley Locker Inc	Equipment	Diversify markets by buying 2 smokehouses and equipment to process and pack meat on site	Foley	Benton
Food Farm	Equipment	Add storage and cooler building to store more vegetables and add equipment for food safety; Will diversify markets	Wrenshall	Carlton
Four Seasons Apiaries LLC	Equipment	Initiate business that breeds and sells honey bees to expand market access of Minnesota honey producers	St. Paul	Ramsey
Fruit Acres Inc	Equipment	Modernize apple production packing house and line to be GAP certified and increase market access	La Crescent	Houston
Gregory's Foods Inc	Equipment	Upgrade to increase frozen bun-line production and expand product type and markets	Eagan	Dakota
James Jirik	Equipment	Maple syrup processing equipment to improve safety and quality; also increase efficiency to expand marketing	Kilkenny	Le Sueur
Klein Foods Inc	Equipment	Increase production of fudge with purchase of freezer and sifter to diversify markets	Marshall	Lyon
Lake Haven Custom Meat Processing	Equipment	Build new facility and equipment to expand to processing local livestock to retail markets	Sturgeon Lake	Pine
Lamberton Meats	Equipment	Significant improvements of meat process facility to reopen business and expand market access	Storden	Cottonwood
Lavalier's Berry Patch and Orchard	Equipment	Bring in utilities and equipment to improve sanitation, reduce pesticides and expand market access to schools	New Hope	Hennepin
Lorentz Meats	Equipment	Build 4 season livestock handling facility and remodel slaughter area to increase processing of local livestock	Cannon Falls	Goodhue
Minnesota Valley Business Development Corp	Equipment	Retrofit warehouse into local food hub to increase small farmers' access to school and other markets	Mankato	Blue Earth
Mississippi Mushrooms LLC	Equipment	Retort-boiler system to decrease crop loss and contamination and increase production and market access	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Montgomery Orchard LLC	Equipment	Building, food safety and processing equipment to initiate sweet and hard apple cider business to diversify markets	Savage	Scott
Northcountry Producers LLC	Equipment	Increase market access and diversity through purchase of refrigeration, distribution equipment and mobile market vehicle	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Oak Knoll Farm	Equipment	New building for cooler, wash station and root cellar to increase production, quality and markets of CSA distribution hub	Albert Lea	Freeborn
Ody's Country Meats & Catering	Equipment	Retail freezer to increase local production and walk-in cooler to meet Minnesota food safety requirements	Spring Valley	Fillmore
Red Table Meat Company LLC	Equipment	Expand local hog processing and market access through purchase of additional processing and storage equipment	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Redhead Creamery LLC	Equipment	Diversify milk markets by building a cheese plant, including all equipment to produce, test and market cheese	Brooten	Stearns
Riviana Foods	Equipment	Forage bagger to increase processing capacity, decrease food spoilage and increase market access of locally cultivated wild rice	Clearbrook	Clearwater
Round Lake Vineyards	Equipment	Diversify markets by purchasing tanks and other wine production equipment to initiate full service winery business	Round Lake	Nobles
Schmidt's Meat Market	Equipment	Expand cooler to increase production and product line and diversify local livestock producers markets	Nicollet	Nicollet
Schneider's Meats	Equipment	Construct building and equipment for smoking to start local livestock processing business and diversify markets	Askov	Pine
Sno Pac Farms LLC	Equipment	Develop a Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) plan and food safety plan	Caledonia	Houston
Sno Pac Foods	Equipment	3 large feed hopper tanks in vegetable line to eliminate food contamination and meet new food safety requirement	Caledonia	Houston
Sogn Valley Orchard	Equipment	Grinder and create certified refrigerated cider storage to diversify marketing to local schools	Dennison	Goodhue
Stony Creek Dairy LLC	Equipment	Dairy production equipment, expand distribution warehouse and refrigeration transportation to address all goals of grant program	Melrose	Stearns
Sweetland Orchard LLC	Equipment	Expand, prepare and equipment cidery room for hard cider production; diversify their and local orchards' markets	Webster	Rice
T & R Meat Processing LLC	Equipment	Freezer and update meat processing facility to comply with food safety codes to maintain market access	Clearwater	Wright
Terroir Chocolate	Equipment	Equipment to increase production capacity of organic, premium chocolate bars and diversify markets	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail
Whistling Well Farm	Equipment	Retail refrigeration and freezer units with electrical to enable marketing new products and address food safety	Hastings	Dakota
Hazelnut Oil Marketing	Feasibility Study	Business and marketing plan to purchase and distribute local, cold pressed hazelnut oil	Lake City	Wabasha
Hunt Utilities Group	Feasibility Study	Feasibility study to demonstrate need and viability of local foods facility within part of food hub network	Pine River	Cass
Irish Ridge Farm	Feasibility Study	Market analysis and plan for production and distribution of grass-fed beef in Southeastern Minnesota	Winona	Winona
Little Falls Development Center	Feasibility Study	Feasibility study to develop a business plan for food hub so local producers can access larger markets	Little Falls	Morrison
Minnesota Elderberry Cooperative	Feasibility Study	Develop business plan; how to operate, legal mechanisms and prospectus for elderberry producing cooperative	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Scandia Valley Dairy LLC	Feasibility Study	Conduct a feasibility study of goat cheese production business from Minnesota goat milk	Brainerd	Crow Wing
The Alchemy LLC	Feasibility Study	Develop business and marketing plan, recipe for Minnesota sugar beet vodka and obtain federal regulation approval for label	Minneapolis	Hennepin
The Big Dipper Creamery	Feasibility Study	Develop business and marketing plan to expand ice cream business that uses locally grown ingredients	Blaine	Anoka

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