Minnesota voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the state constitution in 2008.
Thirteen Minnesota educators looking to provide more agricultural experiences for their students have received grant funding from Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC).
MAITC has awarded each educator with an Agricultural Literacy Grant, worth up to $500 each. This annual grant opportunity is designed to fund projects that support agriculture and food systems education efforts from kindergarten to high school across the state.
Topics that will be explored through this year’s projects include agricultural careers, aquaponics, and the farm-to-fork process.
MAITC is a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the MAITC Foundation that seeks to increase agricultural literacy through K-12 education. For more information about the Ag Literacy Grants and other ag education resources, visit the MAITC website.
Grantee School and City |
Grantee |
Project Title |
Bluff View Elementary School, |
Marie Kruse |
Learn Through Play, From Seed to Fork |
Greenvale Park Elementary School, Northfield |
Tiffany Kortbein |
Agriculture Library Books |
Hidden Valley Elementary School, Savage |
Quincy Voris |
Hidden Valley Ag Science Project and Field Trip |
Jackson County Central Elementary School, Jackson |
Laura Bidne |
Farm to Table Elementary Lessons |
Kelliher School, Kelliher |
Amy Mastin |
Hatching Up Some Fun |
Loyola Catholic School, Mankato |
Sarah Odegard |
Ruby Ranch Field Trip |
Owatonna High School, Owatonna |
Kimberly Penning |
Water Quality and Aquaponics |
SAGE Academy, Brooklyn Park |
Cari-Ana Garcia Luna |
Farm to Plate to Career |
Sauk Centre Elementary School, |
Becky Schreiner |
Adopt a Cow Field Trip |
Spring Creek Elementary School, Northfield |
Rich Guggisberg |
Farm Day Materials |
South Point Elementary School, |
Livia Zitzow |
Growing Greens |
St. Francis School, Brainerd |
Carrie Allord |
Embedded Agriculture |
Winona County 4-H, Winona |
Mika Miller |
Food Systems in Agriculture with 4-H After-School |
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Morrison County for the first time. There are now 46 counties in the state, including Morrison, with EAB.
A suspected EAB infestation was reported at a campground in Genola, MN. EAB larvae was later found, and samples were collected by MDA staff. Federal identification confirmed the samples as emerald ash borer. MDA staff also surveyed other areas in Morrison County and found EAB near Little Falls, MN.
EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.
Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Morrison County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county. The quarantine limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.
The MDA issues quarantines for all areas known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect.
A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Morrison County will be held on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.
Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meeting:
December 13, 2023
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Register at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab
The public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Morrison County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through January 16, 2024, and recommends adopting the quarantine on January 19, 2024. The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.
Comments can be made during the virtual meeting or by contacting:
Kimberly Thielen Cremers
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us
There is more EAB information on the MDA website.
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Media Contact
Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
Brittany.Raveill@state.mn.us
INSTRUCTIONS
Application Part A—Farmer Information
Complete the farmer information section and answer the yes/no eligibility and demographic questions using the definitions below. Note: Applicant name must match the purchaser of the land.
Definitions
Minnesota Resident means the applicant has established a permanent home within Minnesota’s borders and has no present intention of moving outside the state.
Good Standing with the State of Minnesota:
- No back taxes owed.
- No defaults on Minnesota State-backed financing for the last seven years.
- Acceptable performance on past MDA grants.
- Compliant with current state regulations.
Direct Ownership is when an individual is the direct owner of farmland, shareholder in an operation that includes farmland, or the beneficiary of a life estate that includes farmland. Indirect Ownership is any interest or traceable interest in farmland.
Emerging Farmers include farmers or aspiring farmers who are women, veterans, persons with disabilities, American Indian or Alaskan Natives, members of a community of color, young (35 and younger), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA+), urban (reside in cities with a population over 5,000 or within the boundaries of federally recognized tribal land regardless of population size), and any other emerging farmers as determined by the commissioner.
Application Part B – Purchase Information
Complete the farmland purchase information section with as many details as you have for the land you intend to purchase. If you do not have some this information, you may leave questions blank; however, you will need to be prepared with all this information and close on your farmland purchase within 6 months if your application is approved. If your grant application is approved, you will also need to provide copies of:
- Purchase agreement
- Schedule F or signed statement claiming no farm sales to report
- Loan estimates or other proof of secured financing
- Other documentation required as needed to ensure the applicant qualifies for this program
The MDA’s Rural Finance Authority will award these grants using a random lottery process, with preference given to emerging farmers. Approvals will remain valid for purchases closing within 6 months or until June 30, 2024, whichever is sooner.
Privacy Notice: The information provided by an applicant will be used to assess the applicant’s eligibility to receive a Down Payment Assistance Grant from the MDA. The decision to apply for this grant is voluntary, and applicants are not legally required to provide any of the requested information. Applicants may decline to complete this application without any legal consequence. However, only completed applications will be considered for a grant; incomplete applications will not be considered.
Access to private or nonpublic data provided as part of this application is limited to those authorized by law, including but not necessarily limited to MDA staff and contractors with a valid work assignment to access the data, parties authorized by the applicant, parties identified in a valid court order or federal subpoena, Minnesota Management and Budget, Minnesota Department of Administration, the state auditor, and the legislative auditor. If necessary, the MDA may also share the data with law enforcement or the Office of the Attorney General.
The goal of the state is to prevent nitrate from entering groundwater.