In order to open funds to Minnesota farmers, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Rural Finance Authority (RFA) Board has declared an emergency for three animal diseases: avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and the H5N1 flu virus. This makes zero-interest Disaster Recovery Loans available for Minnesota farmers whose operations have sustained livestock losses due to the diseases from February 12, 2025 to February 12, 2026.
“The RFA Board’s declaration is an important step in helping Minnesota farmers affected by these three animal health diseases,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “I encourage those who have faced livestock losses to explore these zero-interest loans.”
aMPV is a highly infectious respiratory disease affecting poultry. It causes significant immunosuppression in birds which leads to secondary infections and often high mortality. Minnesota has reported 871 aMPV positive tests since April 2024, which is likely an undercount of actual cases across the state. The disease is a burden to producers who lose birds and have no means of financial support like they do with HPAI and other diseases.
HPAI is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild birds and is fatal. It's a major threat to the poultry industry, animal health, trade, and the economy worldwide. The first cases of the current HPAI outbreak in Minnesota were confirmed in March 2022. Since then, there have been 185 cases affecting 9.1 million Minnesota domestic birds, mostly turkeys. There have been four HPAI cases reported in 2025.
H5N1, the same virus that causes HPAI in poultry, can also affect dairy cows and other animals; however, it rarely kills cows. The H5N1 outbreak in dairy cattle appeared in a Texas dairy in March 2024. The first Minnesota case appeared in June 2024. No cases have been reported in 2025.
The Disaster Recovery Loan Program offers affordable financing to support Minnesota farmers after declared disasters or hardship events, such as animal disease outbreaks. These funds are available to farmers for expenses not covered by insurance, including replacement of flocks or livestock, building improvements, or to cover the loss of revenue when the replacement, improvements, or revenue loss is due to the confirmed presence of one of the three animal diseases. Eligible farmers will work with their local lender to secure the loans from the RFA.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Rural Finance Authority is the state's agricultural lender with a mission to develop farm resources. RFA offers low-interest loan programs for a variety of farm activities
More information, including full eligibility requirements, can be found on the Disaster Recovery Loan Program webpage.
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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us
Startup Producer Co-op Training – Session 1
Session 1 of this five-part series is “An Introduction to Cooperatives.”
This initial session will provide an overview of cooperatives, including the origins of the modern cooperative movement and its significance to the U.S. agricultural sector over time. Participants will also have a chance to meet other producers in the cohort and learn more about their cooperative ventures.
Session 1 Presenters: Kevin Edberg, Char Vrieze, and Leslie Watson
Cooperative Development Services (CDS) is offering this free virtual training series for startup producer co-ops. The program will also be useful to directors and managers of co-ops that are already operating. Co-ops are encouraged to send multiple participants.
The training is made possible through the Minnesota Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, which is funded by a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The contents of the training and other program materials are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or MDA.
Startup Producer Co-op Training – Session 2
Session 2 of this five-part series is “The Cooperative Development Process.”
This session will focus on development of cooperative businesses, a complex process that requires equal attention to forging an authentically democratic association that meets member needs, while establishing a business that can compete and thrive in the marketplace. In this session, you will learn about a time-tested approach to cooperative development that attends to both dimensions. Participants will have a chance to reflect on their development experience to date and to share lessons learned with one another.
Session 2 Presenter: Kevin Edberg
Cooperative Development Services (CDS) is offering this free virtual training series for startup producer co-ops. The program will also be useful to directors and managers of co-ops that are already operating. Co-ops are encouraged to send multiple participants.
The training is made possible through the Minnesota Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, which is funded by a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The contents of the training and other program materials are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or MDA.
Startup Producer Co-op Training – Session 3
Session 3 of this five-part series is “Ownership Model Canvas.”
This session will dive into why ownership is a key part of cooperative development. Getting clarity around the purpose of the co-op and the benefits of being a co-op member-owner is important. Thinking through the rights, duties, obligations and roles of owners is a critical early-stage discussion, as it deals with how key decisions are made and who gets to make them. The Owner Model Canvas is a tool to channel thoughts and energies around this topic.
Session 3 Presenters: Char Vrieze and Kevin Edberg
Cooperative Development Services (CDS) is offering this free virtual training series for startup producer co-ops. The program will also be useful to directors and managers of co-ops that are already operating. Co-ops are encouraged to send multiple participants.
The training is made possible through the Minnesota Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, which is funded by a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The contents of the training and other program materials are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or MDA.
Startup Producer Co-op Training – Session 4
Session 4 of this five-part series is “Business Model Canvas.”
Session 4 will address cooperative business planning. Co-ops consist of a democratic association of member-owners who collectively use a business enterprise to achieve shared outcomes. Before anyone is asked to make significant investments in a business, it is wise for leaders early on to understand the kind of business they want to own, how that business will deliver needed results, what capital is needed to achieve success and where it will come from, and how this business will relate to allies and competitors. The Business Model Canvas is a tool to help co-op leaders surface these kinds of conversations.
Session 4 Presenters: Char Vrieze and Kevin Edberg
Cooperative Development Services (CDS) is offering this free virtual training series for startup producer co-ops. The program will also be useful to directors and managers of co-ops that are already operating. Co-ops are encouraged to send multiple participants.
The training is made possible through the Minnesota Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, which is funded by a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The contents of the training and other program materials are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or MDA.
Startup Producer Co-op Training – Session 5
Session 5 of this five-part series is “Governance Essentials for Startup Co-ops.”
Session 5 will look at the kinds of "infrastructure" needed to support good governance in a startup co-op, including effective meetings, straightforward governing policies, and attention to fostering a healthy working culture. Amid the flurry of all-hands-on-deck activity required to launch a new co-op, good governance can sometimes be the last thing anyone is thinking about. Yet anytime a group comes together to meet, discuss, and decide it inevitably engages in some form of governance, and the quality of that governance can significantly impact how effective and enjoyable that work will be.
Session 5 Presenter: Leslie Watson
Cooperative Development Services (CDS) is offering this free virtual training series for startup producer co-ops. The program will also be useful to directors and managers of co-ops that are already operating. Co-ops are encouraged to send multiple participants.
The training is made possible through the Minnesota Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, which is funded by a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The contents of the training and other program materials are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or MDA.
