Specialty Crop Block Grant Projects and Results

Hmong American Farmers Association, Dao Yang

Tree fruit: apples, pears, plums, etc.

Training Hmong farmers to access new markets and increase availability of locally grown tree fruit.

$97K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Nora Shields-Cutler

Specialty crops for child nutrition programs

Harvest of the Month programming for Minnesota's youngest eaters.

$60K

Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association, Kathy Zeman

Specialty crop communications for producers

Translations of field conditions and price reporting for Minnesota specialty crops in multiple languages.

$125K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Michelle Grabowski

Apples, nursery crops

Identifying best management practices for red star rust, an invasive pathogen of apple and nursery crops.

$125K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Nicole Baysal

Specialty crop food safety

On-farm produce safety improvement grants and Produce Safety Rule grower training.

$125K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Rachel Wandrei

Specialty crop marketing

Statewide promotion of Minnesota Grown specialty crops.

$94K

Regents of the University of Minnesota, Brandon Miller

Nursery crops

Jumping worm management in container nursery crops.

$125K

Regents of the University of Minnesota, Daniel Kaiser

Dry beans

Improving dry bean profitability in Minnesota by optimizing nutrient management.

$125K

Regents of the University of Minnesota, Matthew Clark

Fruit: caneberries

Assessing Rubus wild crop relatives for caneberry genetic improvement.

$107K

Regents of the University of Minnesota, Vera Krischik

Grapes, hops, berries, apples

Development of a biocontrol agent for Japanese beetle in Minnesota wine grapes, hops, berries, and apples.

$125K

Sprout MN, Taran Skwira

Specialty crop education & marketing

Specialty crop value education and expanding marketing efforts to rural communities.

$110K

Twin Cities Berry Company, Andrew Petran

Strawberries

Developing climate resilient practices for high-density strawberry production within protected culture structures, allowing new and emerging farmers to overcome spatial and environmental hurdles to financial sustainability

$123K

University of Minnesota, Mary Rogers

Small fruit/berries: raspberries, strawberries

Investigating botanical-based repellents to prevent infestation of small fruit by spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) and facilitate the rearing and release of Ganaspis brasiliensis in Minnesota for biological control of SWD

$125K

University of Minnesota, Chengyan Yue

Cherry tomatoes, delicata squash, cucumbers, melons, kale, onions

University of Minnesota personnel will create enterprise budgets for six crops in Minnesota that have been identified as most desirable for school food service professionals and develop decision-making tools about which crops to grow for Farm to School markets, and at what scale.

$125K

University of Minnesota, Matthew Clark

Grapes

This project by the University of Minnesota uses differential thermal analysis to assess grape buds for hardiness to inform breeding decisions, make selections and variety release decisions, speed up the breeding process, and understand the genetics of winter survival in grape

$125K

Farm Commons, Chloe Johnson

Botanicals and herbs, producer education

Farm Commons will empower botanical producers with essential business law information that enables them to create resilient botanical production operations and value-added enterprises. Farm Commons will increase the resilience and ability of botanical growers and value-added ventures to expand by providing training on business law issues facing these producers.

$74K

University of Minnesota, Eric Watkins

Turf grass: hard fescue

Optimizing hard fescue seed production in northern Minnesota through agronomics and breeding, aiming to optimize hard fescue establishment in a seed production system for farmers in northern Minnesota.

$125K

University of Minnesota, Yuxin Miao

Potato

This University of Minnesota project will develop and evaluate variable rate nitrogen and irrigation management strategies to increase nitrogen and water use efficiencies and reduce nitrate leaching losses to support sustainable potato production in Minnesota.

$125K

University of Minnesota, Carl Rosen

Potato

This University of Minnesota project will improve potato production sustainability in the Midwest by adopting a new variety with improved tuber quality, long-term storage, and reduced chemical use.

$125K

University of Minnesota, Angie Ambourn

Landscape conifers: hemlock

This project will determine the host effect on cold hardiness of elongate hemlock scale.

$125K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), Erin McKee

Specialty crops for child nutrition programs

IATP seeks to support the success and formally evaluate MDA’s grant program reimbursing schools for purchases from MN farmers as the program grows beyond its pilot.

$73K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Grown

Fruits, vegetables, honey, maple syrup, Christmas trees

Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Grown Program is the statewide program charged with promoting locally grown fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops.  The program includes an online platform and directory to connect consumers with producers; an extensive array of marketing materials for member farms and retailers; and advertising/PR activities.

$84K

University of Minnesota, Gary Muehlbauer

Hop

Develop, evaluate, and preserve powdery mildew resistant germplasm for hop growers in Minnesota.

$148K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Grown

Apples, Christmas trees, honey, maple syrup, vegetables

This project increases sales and awareness of Minnesota specialty crops with statewide marketing, through a two-year statewide earned media public relations campaign.

$147K

University of Minnesota, Alan G. Smith

Tree fruit

Development of a genetic test to identify American highbush cranberry (native, edible fruit, ornamental) from the nearly identical European (non-native, inedible fruit) will increase use of the native, and reduce genetic pollution and invasiveness.

$148K

University of Minnesota, Matthew Clark

Grapes, nursery crops

Implementation of rapid molecular diagnostics for early detection of grapevine trunk diseases will provide Minnesota fruit growers and nurseries with insight to improve climate-appropriate management practices and identify sources of disease.

$131K

University of Minnesota, William D. Hutchinson

Grapes

Novel research, via GIS and an "Attract & Kill" strategy will be implemented in commercial grape vineyards to manage Japanese Beetle, a pest of more than 300 host plants, and one of the most damaging, invasive pests of specialty crops in Minnesota.

$149K

University of Minnesota, Jerry D. Cohen

Tree nut: hazelnuts

New methods to induce rooting in the micropropagation of hybrid hazelnuts will be developed using a chemical biology approach to overcome barriers when working with difficult to root varieties.

$150K

Indigenous Peoples Task Force, Michael Neumann

Vegetables: sprouts and microgreens

The proposed initiative will advance non-seasonal consumption of nutritionally enriched sprouts and microgreens as specialty crops to counter health disparities and co-morbidities in the Native American communities worsened by COVID-19 pandemic.

$150K

University of Minnesota, Neil O. Anderson

Ornamentals, cut flower flax

The project goal is to test our perennial flax (Linum) selections for cut flower production and postharvest storage conditions that enhance vase life.

$150K

University of Minnesota, Nancy Jo Ehlke

Turf grass: perennial ryegrass

The integration of an insect (armyworm) monitoring and trapping program coupled with a perennial ryegrass seed production and endophyte survey to improve the profitability of turf grass seed production in northern Minnesota.

$60K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Valerie Gamble

Fruits and vegetables

This project will help produce growers understand the FSMA Produce Safety Rule by offering multi-lingual continuing education related to the rule, and evaluation of those services for continuous improvement.

$100K

University of Minnesota, Cindy Tong

Broccoli

We will investigate the extent of swede midge spread in Minnesota; find sustainable, non-pesticidal methods to prevent swede midge damage to broccoli crops; and prepare commercial growers to respond to this emerging pest. Learn more by visiting the VegEdge swede midge profile and the UMN Extension swede midge webpages. 

$145K

University of Minnesota, Jane Jewett

Small-scale farmers; vegetables

Comprehensive wholesale readiness training will prepare produce farmers who have been direct marketing to consumers to make the leap to wholesale, diversifying their marketing mix and increasing produce availability in local food systems.

$117K

The Good Acre, Anna Richardson

Food Hub; produce and other specialty crops

This project will connect BIPOC growers in Minnesota with markets where they have historically been excluded, expanding the diversity of producers represented in these markets and increasing consumer access to high-quality, locally grown produce.

$146K

Hmong American Farmers Association, Dao Yang

Mixed vegetables

This project focuses on developing a bilingual, bicultural post-harvest training program to build the capacity of small-scale, immigrant Hmong and BIPOC farmers to implement best practices, extend produce shelf life, and expand market opportunities.

$36K

University of Minnesota, Alan G. Smith

Nursery crops

Amur maple is very popular with nurseries and consumers, but it is a non-native invasive plant causing environmental damage, this proposal will select and test seedless Amur maple trees for development of alternative non-invasive cultivars.

$76K

The Food Group, Laura Mirafuentes

Organic vegetables; perennial crops such as fruit trees, grapes, nuts, berries, asparagus, culinary herbs

Through its Big River Farms training program and organic incubator farm, this project will educate beginning, socially disadvantaged farmers in organic vegetable production, with new curriculum and demonstration plots focused on perennial crops.

$149K

Kilimo Minnesota, Moses Momanyi

Organic vegetables, mixed

This project focuses on training small-scale, immigrant African farmers on farm management and vegetable production skills, which increases regional availability of produce and improves farmers’ economic livelihood.

$72K

University of Minnesota, Linda Kinkel

Potato

Optimizing potato soil microbiomes using soil management practices to better understand the relationship between microbial diversity, function, and biomass as well as soil carbon diversity and potato soil health and productivity.

$149K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Grown

Apples, berries, grapes, Christmas trees, nursery crops, honey, garlic, hops, squash, maple syrup

This project increases sales of Minnesota specialty crops through statewide marketing, including search engine advertising, promoted social media posts and social media advertising.

$60K

University of Minnesota, Julie Grossman

Vegetable crops

This project will improve specialty crop producers’ capacity to optimize cover crop productivity as part of their vegetable rotations in cold climates by selecting high nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria for use with the cover crop legume hairy vetch.

$125K

North Dakota State University, Andrew Robinson

Potato

The University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University potato agronomy program will determine how narrow row spacing can improve sustainability of fresh red- and yellow-skinned potato production in Minnesota.

$114K

University of Minnesota, Daniel Handeen

Microgreens

Project personnel, in partnership with three deep winter greenhouse operators, will develop, prototype, and test thermal curtain materials and deployment mechanisms intended to reduce nighttime heat loss from deep winter greenhouses.

$137K

Midwest Elderberry Cooperative, Christopher J. Patton

Perennial bush, native elderberry

This project will increase the production acreage of Minnesota elderberry growers to provide Minnesota food and beverage companies with a dependable supply of native, high quality elderberry ingredients.

$90K

University of Minnesota, Laura Shannon

Potato

We will innovate artificial intelligence methods for predicting potato Nitrogen status using drones and identify high yielding potatoes, with improved quality traits, and reduced nitrogen requirements for potential cultivar release from the University of Minnesota breeding program.

$122K

Cook County Community Center / Extension, Diane Booth

The purpose of the project is to assess the economic impact of growing local cut flowers and to identify their niche markets along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

$14K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Erin McKee

To continue our successful Farm to Head Start program that brings fresh, healthy, local specialty crops into early care settings, and to begin bringing specialty crops to summer food programs through leveraging our Head Start partnerships. Read more about the Farm to Early Care process.

$100K

Minnesota Certified Seed Potato Growers Association, Randy Schmidt & Justin Dagen

Implement marketing strategies to increase industry awareness of the quality and variety of Minnesota grown certified seed potatoes to increase sales and industry reach.

$15K

Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Nikki Deyle

The Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association will strengthen Minnesota’s specialty crop industry by providing tailored on-farm instruction in production, marketing and financial management, and networking opportunities for beginning growers.

$71K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group, Paul Hugunin

This project increases sales of Minnesota specialty crops through statewide marketing including sponsored search advertising (pay-per-click), promoted social media posts, and promotion of specific specialty crops in the printed directory. Visit the online Minnesota Grown Directory to find specialty crops grown in Minnesota.

$80K

Renewing the Countryside II, Jan Joannides

Farmers often have the capacity to produce more specialty crops than can be sold to individual customers at farmers' markets, so this project will help vendors expand sales and income streams by having market managers facilitate wholesale sales (also called aggregation). Find more information and manuals on the Minnesota Farmers' Market Hubs page.

$99K

Sustainable Farming Association, Theresa M. Keaveny

The Sustainable Farming Association will increase the profitability of farmers and beginning farmers by increasing premium garlic production, training farmers on best garlic growing/marketing practices, expanding markets and supply chains, and researching improved cultivation methods. Learn more on the Minnesota Premium Garlic Project website.

$100K

The Good Acre, Andrew Bernhardt

With 1:1 business development and on-farm production and food safety technical assistance, The Good Acre and partners will increase farmer readiness to access wholesale markets and increase farm sales of Minnesota-grown specialty crops. Watch videos about the On-Farm Good Agricultural Practices Education Program to learn more.

$99K

University of Minnesota, Adrian Hegeman

Determination of the effects of nitrogen fertilization, seed source, and plant community on the production of beneficial phytochemicals in fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) for use in natural care products.

$51K

University of Minnesota, Mary H. Meyer

This project will increase native grass sales and improve public knowledge and awareness of the benefits of native grasses through an educational program, customer surveys, and point of sale displays at many garden centers in Minnesota. Visit the Native Grasses as Pollinator Food website for more information.

$57K

University of Minnesota, James Luby

Optimum harvest and postharvest periods, traits affecting consumer appeal, and consumer preference will be determined for kiwiberry varieties adapted to Minnesota. Find out more: Meet the Kiwiberry video, Exploring the invasive potential of kiwiberry, and Fruit quality of kiwiberry in Minnesota.

$91K

University of Minnesota, Cindy Tong

In order to extend the season for cool season crops and marketing opportunities for farmers, we will use shading in low tunnels and pre-chilling to improve field production of locally grown lettuce and cauliflower with flavor acceptable to consumers. Read the journal article, Artificial Shading Can Adversely Affect Heat-tolerant Lettuce Growth and Taste, with Concomitant Changes in Gene Expression.

$93K

University of Minnesota, Matthew D. Clark

This project will optimize the methodologies to advance the techniques necessary to efficiently produce seedless table grape breeding lines for cold-hardy climates.

$97K

University of Minnesota, Steven R. Poppe

To sustainably control weeds in perennial fruit plantings, the University of Minnesota will investigate the use of decomposable grit applied via an air blast sprayer with the long-term goal of enhancing economic and environmental sustainability.

$97K

Central Lakes College

Evaluate the cost savings and effectiveness of in-furrow fungicide and starter fertilizer and top dress applications of nitrogen to increase seed yield and quality of dry edible beans.

$36K

The Good Acre

Help small-scale farms increase sales of specialty crops by providing food safety training to member farms as well as aggregation, distribution, and logistical services that would enable them to access wholesale markets; develop plans that all small-scale farms can use to add necessary infrastructure to become Good Agricultural Practice certified; and to develop food safety curriculum and industry models that will be shared around the state.

$94K

Jim Gehrke/Minnesota Valley Action Council

Protect the investment already made in existing food hubs by facilitating the rapid growth necessary for each to reach a self-sustaining level of development.

$100K

Latino Economic Development Center

Develop a pilot project to guide immigrant farmers in the efficient production of salad mix using specialized equipment and high-tunnel production for sale to chef-driven restaurants.

$25K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase market access opportunity, sales, and new distribution relationships for Minnesota specialty crop sellers and organizations.

$72K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Assess their distribution of pests as well as incidence/abundance and help growers monitor for them to mitigate losses.

$94K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Increase sales and competitiveness of Minnesota specialty crops through sponsored search advertising, increased exposure for specific specialty crops in the printed Minnesota Grown Directory, and development and distribution of new promotional materials for vegetable growers.

$74K

Sweetland Orchard

Assess the suitability of growing 12 cider apple varieties on two different rootstocks at eight geographically and climactically distinct locations in Minnesota.

$32K

University of Minnesota

Develop research-based management programs for Colorado potato beetle that exclude neonicotinoid insecticides. These programs will incorporate defoliation-based thresholds, new scouting methods, and resistance management tactics.

$95K

University of Minnesota

Provide research-based information to specialty crop producers regarding the benefits of legume cover crops in rotation with vegetable crops and extend this information to immigrant farmer communities.

$99K

University of Minnesota

Improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Minnesota fruit producers by developing an improved pest alert warning system for the highly damaging economic pest, the Spotted Winged Drosophila.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Development of novel tomato varieties and hybrids to meet the need of growers who reside in north and short season locations, providing locally grown fresh tomatoes to these areas.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Build supply chains to increase access to the University of Minnesota’s new or improved specialty crops [edible dry beans, organic potatoes, and hazelnuts].

$100K

University of Minnesota

Increase awareness of and demonstrate Deep Winter Greenhouse technology including production of an online training manual and workshops.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Improve potato production sustainability in the Midwest through validation of biochemical markers to predict sugar end development under field conditions for better storage management.

$50K

University of Minnesota

Develop sustainable mechanisms to harvest ginkgo seeds for medicine and food, thereby preventing the removal of mature female ginkgo trees that produce malodorous seeds in the urban environment.

$25K

Central Lakes College

Help meet the growing need for technical support for the wine and grape growing industries in Minnesota and to lead the effort to negotiate and implement rules concerning the Food Safety and Modernization Act by educating winemakers and grape growers and giving them access to personalized instruction from a seasoned professional.

$97K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Increase the local sale of Minnesota grown specialty crops in the childcare marketplace through technical assistance and outreach to Minnesota’s 33 county-level Head Start programs, including coordination with farmers, distribution and processing partners, and Head Start staff.

$90K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase demand and market access for Minnesota specialty crops with potential for wholesale distribution through promotional assistance at domestic trade shows such as the National Restaurant Association.

$42K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Gather key data directly from actual customers of Minnesota specialty crop growers, including demographics, distance traveled, amount spent, reasons for choosing the farm they did, social media usage, and other key market data.

$75K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase the awareness and consumption of locally produced specialty crops by creating new specialty crop educational materials and professional development opportunities for teachers including videos, a lesson booklet, and a student AgMag.

$74K

Minnesota Farm Winery Association

Increase awareness and sales of Minnesota wine made from Minnesota grown grapes, fruit, and honey by promoting Minnesota wineries as “points of destination” for travel/tourism, community-based business meetings, and social/recreational gatherings.

$70K

Minnesota Food Association

Increase the marketability of traditional Asian, African, and Latino crops by developing, evaluating, and eventually providing training on techniques to improve the efficiency of these crops.

$83K

Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Better equip fruit and vegetable producers for economic success by providing them with production and marketing information to make them more competitive in local markets, offering them strategies to increase customer loyalty and ways to effectively use social media to maintain and create connections, and conducting a beginning grower workshop to help new vegetable growers build a foundation for success.

$41K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Development and distribution of new promotional materials for vegetable growers and honey producers, development of a new series of videos promoting specialty crops, sponsored search advertising, search engine optimization, and increased exposure for specific specialty crops in the printed Minnesota Grown Directory.

$99K

North Dakota State University

Increase potato production by working to eradicate potato emergence disorder by determining whether the interaction between the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans and fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum is the cause of this problem.

$99K

Renewing the Countryside

Improve local producers’ access to new, institutional markets for edible specialty crops by providing regional farmer-buyer networking events that include food safety and local food procurement introductory workshops and by putting farm-to-cafeteria enhancement teams in place to develop the skills of buyers to purchase from specialty crop producers.

$98K

Seven Songs Organic Farm

Expand production of ginger and turmeric by testing a cost-efficient model for growing ginger (and turmeric which has similar requirements) in the Upper Midwest, while also creating better crop rotation, lowering overhead costs, and meeting public demand for this high-value specialty crop.

$52K

University of Minnesota

Provide needed food safety technical assistance and education to specialty crop growers in Minnesota using innovative and experiential learning opportunities including on-farm workshops, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, participation in national food safety courses, and a new online food safety plan short course.

$97K

University of Minnesota

Increase consumer knowledge on the benefits of native grasses, especially as larval food for pollinators, while increasing sales and use of native grasses through point-of-purchase marketing and educational materials at five garden centers in Minnesota.

$76K

Central Lakes College

Provide Minnesota Wineries with a quality testing program which would monitor wine quality, reward quality wines with an approved label, and increase sales of Minnesota grown wines through market expansion.

$48K

Cooperative Development Services

Increase specialty crop farmer knowledge of financial metrics pertinent to various food hub models by obtaining regional specialty crop-based food hub metrics, assessing the desires of Minnesota-based specialty crop participants, developing proforma templates for several types and scales of businesses, and disseminating the findings to specialty crop producers via web access and group seminars.

$37K

Farm Commons

Help specialty crop farmers understand techniques for negotiating and drafting sales agreements that help all parties achieve their goals and comply with emerging regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act.

$43K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Minnesota fruit producers by determining the best Integrated Pest Management practices for the economically damaging and invasive pest, the Spotted Winged Drosophila.

$100K

Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Strengthen the specialty crop industry and local foods movement by providing comprehensive, individualized production and management instruction for beginning fruit and vegetable growers.

$79K

Minnesota Grape Growers Association

Provide growers of cold-hardy grapes information, techniques, and best viticultural practices for growing high quality, cold-hardy grapes for maximum economic gain and personal satisfaction by developing a publication and accompanying videos.

$48K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Increase sales by creating innovative new promotional materials for wineries and vegetable growers, by creating new ads promoting apples, Christmas trees and berries, and by providing detailed information regarding apples, Christmas trees, pumpkins, berries and wineries in 170,000 copies of the Minnesota Grown Directory.

$99K

North Dakota State University

Reduce lost profits and wasted food through the identification of blemish problems commonly found in tuber potatoes and develop agronomic practices.

$90K

Renewing the Countryside

Help specialty crop producers grow their businesses in a manner that leads to expanded specialty crop sales and increased profitability and sustainability by providing them with customized assistance.

$94K

Sustainable Farming Association

Grow the demand and the supply of locally produced herbs through targeted producer and consumer testing and educational initiatives.

$53K

Third Sector New England

Research and test the market for cosmetically imperfect fruit and vegetables “seconds” grown by small and mid-size farmers in Minnesota through in-depth research with Minnesota fruit and vegetable growers and fresh-cut processors as well as market testing with area colleges and universities.

$96K

University of Minnesota

Enhance economic and environmental sustainability of strawberry production by investigating innovative production systems that couple new strawberry cultivars with innovative organic production methods and educating specialty crop growers on using these systems to extend the season until October.

$83K

University of Minnesota

Encourage rural grocers to purchase locally grown specialty crops by developing a how-to guide for specialty crop farmers to sell their produce to rural grocers, developing a produce handling toolkit and deliver on-site training for rural grocers, and developing a local food buying guide.

$70K

University of Minnesota

Create research-based management recommendations for leaf mold of high tunnel tomatoes by conducting research to characterize the biology and life cycle of the leaf mold pathogen, Passalora fulva, identify potential sources of the pathogen, and determine the ability of the pathogen to overwinter in Minnesota high tunnels.

$99K

University of Minnesota

Reduce losses from downy mildew and sustain a viable hop industry by characterizing diseases of hops in Minnesota, evaluating management options for hop downy mildew control, and educating hop growers about viral and fungal diseases of hops and their management.

$99K

University of Minnesota

Develop an in-field method of using spectral reflectance and chlorophyll content to determine potential infection of seed potato plants by Potato Virus Y, a viral disease of potatoes which, if present, precludes certification of seed potatoes, negatively impacting their commercial value.

$100K

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Increase purchasing from Minnesota’s specialty crop growers by the childcare and school sectors through outreach activities to increase grower’s knowledge of how to sell to childcare programs, curriculum dissemination on how to incorporate farm to school into classrooms, and the development of a formal network.

$79K

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Increase producer awareness of specialty crop enterprises and opportunities, increase profitability, diversify the agricultural landscape and enhance the quality of life for farmers and rural communities by developing and running farmer-to-farmer radio broadcasts highlighting 12 Minnesota specialty crop producers and their successes.

$30K

Minnesota Food Association

Engage in a strategic development process to explore the need and potential for offering additional "food hub" services such as aggregation, sales and distribution to beginning and immigrant farmers growing organic vegetables in the Twin Cities.

$40K

Minnesota Grown Promotion Group

Increase sales of Minnesota specialty crops by promoting and improving the printed and online versions of the Minnesota Grown Directory; creating innovative new promotional materials for wineries, vegetable growers and nurseries/garden centers; and creating a public television feature program highlighting specialty crops.

$99K

Renewing the Countryside

Expand markets and increase sales of specialty crops in southern Minnesota by conducting a local foods tradeshow to connect buyers and producers, local foods expo, and creative marketing campaigns.

$68K

Sweetland Orchard

Increase understanding of the market demands for cider varieties by measuring the state of Minnesota’s hard cider industry through annual surveys of the state’s hard cider producers and sharing results with the Minnesota Farm Winery Association, the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Minnesota Apple Growers Association.

$10K

University of Minnesota

Improve producers’ knowledge of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and food safety practices by providing technical assistance, education, and tools necessary to support increased adoption of GAPS by specialty crop growers, including Hmong growers.

$88K

University of Minnesota

Ensure public food safety of locally grown leafy greens by enhancing farmer training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), studying current on-farm postharvest practices and their effects on greens' bacterial loads, and consulting with farmers on the feasibility of GAPs recommendations.

$88K

University of Minnesota

Evaluation of microbial inoculants and soil carbon amendments for their efficacy alone and in combination in reducing incidence and severity of scab, Verticillium wilt, and other soilborne diseases of potato.

$94K