Women's Agricultural Leadership Conference
36785 Arboretum Drive
Chaska, MN 55318
44.863564, -93.6164805
"Agriculture 2019: Changing the Agscape" 21st Annual Women's Agricultural Leadership Conference
- Remarks by Commissioner Thom Petersen
- Breakout session by Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom staff, Keri Sidle, Rachel Gray, Wanda Patsche, and Ann Vote
- Mini-session by Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program staff, Danielle Isaacson and Clarissa Levi
Minnesota Pavilion at the Sweets & Snacks Expo
2301 S King Dr
Chicago, IL 60616
We coordinate the Minnesota Pavilion at this annual business-to-business food and beverage tradeshow that attracts candy and snack buyers from around the world. Hosted by the National Confectioners Association.
Contact us for more information.
Hope and Healing Conference
The 2021 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota State Conference, "Hope and Healing," will be held virtually this year. Senior Advisor of Strategy and Innovation, Meg Moynihan, is on the panel for the breakout session, "Suicide Prevention in Minnesota."
New money is available to Minnesota livestock producers to help prevent wolf attacks. A total of $60,000 will be awarded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) through the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants. Applications are due January 24, 2022.
The grants provide reimbursement for costs of approved practices to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts. Eligible expenses for the grant program will include any or all of the following items:
- Purchase of guard animals
- Veterinary costs for guard animals
- Installation of wolf-barriers which may include pens, fladry, and fencing
- Installation of wolf-deterring lights and alarms
- Calving or lambing shelters
- Other measures demonstrated to effectively reduce wolf-livestock conflicts
Eligible producers must live within Minnesota’s wolf range, as designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or on property determined by the Commissioner of Agriculture to be affected by wolf-livestock conflicts. Any animal species produced for profit and documented to have been killed by wolves in Minnesota in the past is eligible. This includes bison, cattle, chicken, deer, donkey, duck, geese, goat, horse, llama, mule, sheep, swine, and turkey.
The funding also requires an 80:20 matching cost-share, meaning 80% of eligible project costs will be reimbursed by the grant and the remaining 20% will be paid for by the grantee.
The grant application must be emailed or postmarked by 5 p.m. on January 24, 2022. Work for this grant must be done and expenses reported by August 31, 2022. The application and more information can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/wolfgrants.
This is the fifth round of funding through the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants. The first two rounds were funded by the Minnesota Legislature in 2017. This round and the other rounds have been funded by grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is issuing an advisory to farmers who have conducted business with Pipeline Foods, LLC based in Fridley, Minn. The company announced on July 8, 2021, it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The MDA is encouraging anyone who has not received payment for grain or who had grain stored at any of Pipeline Foods’ facilities located in Minnesota to submit a bond claim with the Department.
The facility, in accordance with the law, held a $500,000 bond with the Department to help grain sellers and depositors mitigate any losses. To submit a claim, a farmer will need do the following steps:
- Complete a Grain Bond Proof of Claim Form. This can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/grain.
- Include supporting evidence. This is including but not limited to scale tickets, purchase agreements, purchase receipts, non-sufficient funds checks, contracts, warehouse receipts, assembly sheets, etc.
- Send in the form and supporting evidence by email to grain@state.mn.us or mail to:
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Fruit Vegetable & Grain Unit
625 North Robert St.
St Paul, MN 55155
Farmers should submit a claim as soon as possible. The deadline for claims is January 4, 2022.
The MDA will review all submitted claims, associated paperwork, internal documents, and records from inspector visits to determine which claims are valid. In the case of multiple valid claims, a pro-rated share is calculated and dispersed.
Questions on grain bond claim process can be directed to Christine Mader at 651-201-6620 or Christine.Mader@state.mn.us, or Nick Milanowski at 651-201-6076 or Nicholas.Milanowski@state.mn.us.
More information on Pipeline Foods’ bankruptcy can be found on the MDA website at: www.mda.state.mn.us/pipelinefoods.
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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us
Eleven Minnesotans joined or were reappointed to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Emerging Farmers’ Working Group this month.
“The Emerging Farmers’ Working Group’s first year laid a strong foundation for efforts to build the agricultural industry of the future, by bringing all voices and ideas to the table,” Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said. “I’m thankful to the returning and new members who are committing to move this important conversation forward. I’m so excited about this work.”
A total of 41 people applied for 11, two-year positions in the 19-member advisory group. New and reappointed working group members include:
- Hannah Bernhardt, Pine County, reappointed
- Rebecca Dosch Brown, Hennepin County, new appointment
- Ben Dossman, Hennepin County, new appointment
- Bridget Guiza, Becker County, new appointment
- Mark Gutierrez, Ramsey County, new appointment
- Mohamed Hassan, Olmstead County, new appointment
- Kyle Huneke, Goodhue County, new appointment
- David Manuel, Beltrami County, new appointment
- Murigi Mutiga, Washington County, new appointment
- Albert Nyamari, Ramsey County, new appointment
- Shelly Woods, Sibley County, reappointed
Group members entering the second year of their two-year terms include:
- Naima Dhore, Ramsey County
- Janssen Hang, Dakota County
- Denise King, Anoka County
- Erika Legros, Carlton County
- Hindolo Pokawa, Hennepin County
- Emily Reno, Otter Tail County
- Michael Walgrave, Rock County
- Kaitlyn Walsh, Carlton County
The group’s purpose is to advise the MDA and Minnesota Legislature on ways to advance the success and sustainability of farmers who traditionally face barriers to the resources necessary to build profitable agricultural businesses. Emerging Farmers are defined as women, veterans, persons with disabilities, American Indian/Alaskan Native, communities of color, young, and urban farmers.
The MDA convened six listening sessions throughout Minnesota in 2019. The findings of those listening sessions were compiled in a legislative report (pdf), which recommended the creation of a working group to provide guidance to Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen and the Minnesota Legislature on developing programs and initiatives to support emerging farmers in Minnesota.
In 2021, the Legislature appropriated $150,000 to establish an Emerging Farmers Office and hire a full-time coordinator. This new coordinator will help ensure that anyone who wants to farm can access the available resources and build a successful farm business.
MDA staff managed a selection process that was designed to ensure geographical, racial, gender and generational diversity, along with specific targeted populations from the legislative language.
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Media Contact
Larry Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6629
Larry.Schumacher@state.mn.us
Farm Safety Working Group November 2021
The Farm Safety Working Group (FSWG) is an informal collaboration between state agencies, higher education institutions, agriculture membership organizations, farm safety advocates, private sector companies, and labor and safety organizations focused on improving safety in agriculture. The FSWG’s purpose is to provide a forum to discuss safety issues in agriculture, connect groups and organizations who are working on farm safety, and organize a collective effort to improve agricultural safety.
Contact us for meeting details.