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Common names: Red hailstone, Goldencreeper, Golden Creeper, Tuber Gourd, Wild Potato
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is asking produce farmers to fill out the annual Grower Questionnaire which will help farmers identify the federal food safety requirements that apply to their operations. Data from the questionnaire also provides the MDA with a more accurate assessment of Minnesota’s expanding produce farming sector.
“The Grower Questionnaire is an important tool to help Minnesota’s produce farmers navigate the federal produce safety requirements,” said Alexandra Cortes, MDA Produce Safety Program Outreach Analyst. “It also helps our program better understand farmers’ needs and improve resources and programs for them.”
The Grower Questionnaire should be filled out once per year, per produce farm. Participation is voluntary. Farm contact and location information is classified as private and not made public. Produce growers who opt out of the questionnaire will be contacted by the MDA Produce Safety Program to determine any inspection requirements.
Data gleaned from previous questionnaires has found that:
- 41% of Minnesota fruit and vegetable farmers are growing more than 5 crops – with some growing up to 80 fruit and vegetable crops in a season
- Tomatoes and apples are the top crops grown by produce farmers
- More than half the produce farms are under 10 acres in size
The most current data is available in the 2020 Produce Safety Program Report.
Approximately one third of Minnesota’s estimated 3,000 produce farmers participated in the previous Grower Questionnaire and the MDA encourages more farmers to complete the 2022 questionnaire to help raise awareness of their industry and strengthen its growth.
Farmers can contact the MDA Produce Safety Program at 651-539-3648 or email producesafety.mda@state.mn.us to request a paper copy of the questionnaire, or for more information.
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Media Contact
Margaret Hart, MDA Communications
651-592-6908
Margaret.Hart@state.mn.us
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is urging all Minnesota produce farmers to fill out the 2021 Grower Questionnaire. Produce farmers are asked to complete the questionnaire annually to determine how the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule applies to their operation and what steps they must take to comply with safety regulations which are based on several factors including sales outlets and volume.
By completing the questionnaire, farmers receive official notice from the MDA Produce Safety Program regarding their farm’s requirements, as well as get information about trainings and general on-farm produce safety. While participation in this questionnaire is voluntary, farmers who opt out will be contacted by the MDA to determine the farm’s regulatory status under the Produce Safety Rule.
Data collected from the annual questionnaire provide the MDA with a more accurate assessment of Minnesota’s expanding produce farming sector including the number of farms and annual sales. This information also assists the MDA in developing resources to meet the needs of produce farmers.
Data collected from approximately one third of the state’s estimated total number of produce farms has verified that Minnesota:
- Has at least 80,000 acres dedicated to produce production
- Has at least $39,000,000 in annual produce sales
- Has more than 1600 produce growers and that number continues to increase each year
The privacy of questionnaire respondents is safeguarded; farm contact and location information are classified as private or nonpublic data.
Farmers can contact the MDA Produce Safety Program at 651-539-3648 or email producesafety.mda@state.mn.us for more information.
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Media Contact
Margaret Hart, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
Margaret.Hart@state.mn.us
Each year a report is published indicating the ACRRA revenue collected, the program expenditures and the fund balance.