Minnesota Department of Agriculture

09/05/2026

On Friday, the MDA's Megan Moland and Brad Jordahl Redlin presented on our MN Ag Water Quality Certification Program at the Dirt Stage in the Ag/Hort Building at the Minnesota State Fair.

Info 🔗 www.mylandmylegacy.com

09/04/2026

The final event of this year's Agrilympics found Nikki Warner taking fifth place in the Agrilympics Butter Sculpting Contest for Team MDA at the Minnesota State Fair today with her 🧈 wind turbine. Congrats to her and everyone who participated!

We'll be back next year for the 27th annual competition!

09/04/2026

Reminder: We're taking your input on the socioeconomic impact of large-scale dairies in MN through Oct. 1. Submit your comments through our online form. We'll share a summary of that input with the Legislature ahead of the 2027 session.

🔗 https://stateofminnesota.formstack.com/forms/socioeconomic_impact_of_large_dairies_input_form

09/03/2026

Is your organization or institution working to strengthen Minnesota agriculture, horticulture or rural communities? Applications are now open for the AGRI Works Grant, with awards of $5,000 to $75,000 available for projects focused on development, education, research, or marketing.

📅 Apply by 4 p.m. on Oct. 29
🔗 Learn more at www.mda.state.mn.us/mda-opens-applications-agri-works-grant

09/02/2026

With the return of HPAI in Minnesota, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health is a great resource for updates, tools, and information.

Check out our HPAI resources page as well: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/hpai

High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has once again been found in Minnesota. Despite declaring freedom from the disease in August, routine surveillance detected a case in Wright County. The Board, along with our response partners, will continue to monitor, track, and eliminate HPAI wherever it appears in our state. For the latest information on cases, locations, and actions taken to combat the disease, visit our HPAI Response page https://bah.state.mn.us/hpai

09/02/2026

Our MDA team packed a lot of wool today at the Minnesota State Fair's next Agrilympics event. Stephen Moser took fifth place in the competition, with Kate Seybold and David Smith receiving honorable mentions. Congrats to all who participated! Butter carving competition and team awards Friday!

09/02/2026

The USDA has declared St. Louis County and its contiguous counties (Aitkin, Carlton, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake) as disaster areas due to recent drought. Farmers there may be eligible for FSA disaster loans, as well as our disaster recovery loans.

🔗 https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/minnesota
🔗 https://www.mda.state.mn.us/disasterloan

09/01/2026

Team MDA brought home some ribbons from today’s Agrilympics Animal Calling Contest! Nikki Warner placed fifth with her turkey call, while Assistant Commissioner Kjeseth and his son placed eighth with their rooster call. Cynthia Moothart also earned an honorable mention for her call to Victor the pig! 🦃🐓🐖

Tomorrow, Team MDA takes on wool packing, followed by butter carving on Friday. Stay tuned!

09/01/2026

Creeping meadow foxtail is an invasive grass species that crept onto the noxious w**d list this year and is our September W**d of the Month. Imported as a forage grass, it often escapes its intended planting and creates dense monocultures that outcompete native plants.

Read 🔗 https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNMDA/bulletins/427dfce

09/01/2026

Today we welcomed Dr. David Dyjack, executive director of the National Environmental Health Association, who came to the MN State Fair to see how the MDA and Minnesota Department of Health inspections teams work together to make sure that the food fairgoers consume is safe to eat.