The Minnesota AgriGrowth Council is a nonprofit, nonpartisan member organization representing the agriculture and food systems industry. Formed in 1968, AgriGrowth’s strategic approach to public policy advocacy, issues management and collaboration seeks to foster long-term sustainability, competitiveness, and business growth. AgriGrowth also strives to serve as a convener and trusted information source, bringing together its members to address critical challenges and provide solution-oriented outcomes. AgriGrowth’s industry-wide perspective is essential in a state where the agriculture and food sector is the second largest economic driver. AgriGrowth’s Unique Role: Members are part of the only organization in Minnesota whose diverse membership and public policy work is solely devoted to ensuring a progressive environment for developing and sustaining the agriculture and food sector. Members have a point of contact for sharing their story and informing policymakers about the issues impacting their business and the business climate. AgriGrowth works to know and understand our members’ stories which strengthen our position as we work to inform consumers, policymakers and the general public about the value of Minnesota’s agriculture and food systems industry to our state’s economy. Members have a trusted go-to-source for exclusive and timely industry information. Members gain access to unparalleled opportunities for networking, relationship building and collaboration with leaders from across the food, agricultural and food systems industry in Minnesota and beyond.
Minnesota AgriGrowth Council的外部链接
380 St. Peter Street
Suite 1050
US，MN，Saint Paul，55102
Thanks Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for proactively engaging in ag issues. More information hopefully can lead to better decisions.
Last month, MPCA staff had a field day learning more about farming firsthand from Minnesota dairy and turkey farmers. Check out more from their trip here:
Helping state agencies understand food processing Later this year, AgriGrowth is convening a conversation with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MN Department of Agriculture, and MN Department of Employment and Economic Development to develop a plan to help educate agency staff (particularly those in permitting, environmental review, and data analysis) on the operations of food processing facilities. The overarching goal is to cultivate better knowledge of these facilities with agency staff, hopefully leading to better permitting and economic development outcomes. AgriGrowth is 100% committed to organizing and hosting one or two tours annually at facilities across Minnesota.
Special Appearance:?2024 National Thanksgiving?Turkey Visiting MN Ag & Food Summit One of the two 2024 National Thanksgiving?Turkeys will make a special guest appearance at AgriGrowth's Ag & Food Summit. Summit attendees can meet the?turkey?and even take a selfie with him. Attendees can also submit?turkey?names for the White House to consider. Minnesota?turkey?grower and National?Turkey?Federation Chairman John Zimmerman is raising this year's?turkeys. Zimmerman is a 35-year veteran of the?turkey?industry and owner of P&J Products. He is a second-generation Minnesota?turkey?farmer who raises?turkeys, corn, and soybeans on his family farm near Northfield, Minnesota. Celebrate Minnesota! Minnesota leads the nation in?turkey?production, raising approximately 40 million birds annually and generating more than $1 billion in economic activity.?
BREAKING: University of Minnesota President Dr. Rebecca Cunningham to speak at MN Ag & Food Summit Newly inaugurated University of Minnesota President Dr. Rebecca?Cunningham?will be a featured speaker at the 2024 Minnesota Ag & Food Summit. Dr. Cunningham will share her perspective on reinforcing Minnesota’s role as a global leader in agriculture and food manufacturing and how the University of Minnesota can be a vital partner in economic development, research and development. Dr. Cunningham will join Dr. Michael Swanson, the chief agricultural economist of the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute,?as the first two featured speakers at this year’s summit. Register today! https://lnkd.in/gn4qYqgs
Fighting for commonsense in support of Minnesota's livestock industry Every Minnesotan wants and expects clean drinking water and healthy lakes, rivers, and streams. Nitrate contamination is a serious environmental challenge facing Minnesota and the entire country. This challenge requires serious conversations and innovative solutions, not one-size-fits-all requirements. No one understands this more than Minnesota's farmers. Earlier this month, AgriGrowth provided the MPCA with comments and recommendations on improving its draft feedlot permits. These included a longer transition to cover crops, consistent use of nitrification inhibitors, incentivizing manure use, and focusing on soil temperature, not arbitrary dates for fall manure application. You can read AgriGrowth's complete list of recommendations?below.
AgriGrowth joined Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan and leaders from across the region at this week's sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) announcement, which included Flint Hills Resources agreeing to blend SAF at its refinery in Rosemount and pipe it to MSP airport. The announcement happened during the North American SAF Conference and Expo in St. Paul. For Minnesota to be a SAF hub, meaning a large-scale destination for sustainable aviation fuel to be produced, numerous public policy changes will need to occur. Washington state started the process more than a decade ago to become a leader in sustainable aviation fuel. Since then, Washington has passed a clean fuel standard as well as consolidated and streamlined its permitting process, including setting a two-year timeline for environmental review. Minnesota's farmers can outwork farmers in the northwest, and AgriGrowth can help lead efforts to improve the state's permitting process. Clear recognition also is required that SAF cannot just be made from pennycress and camelina. Corn and soybeans must be included in these conversations. It is an all-of-the-above strategy.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture needs your ideas and recommendations to make Minnesota's agriculture industry stronger. Do you have funding ideas? Recommendations to improve or eliminate programs that impact our food and agriculture systems. Submit your ideas via MDA's website by Friday, August 16. https://lnkd.in/gmh6biWc
Join Minnesota AgriGrowth Council, Cargill, and other industry leaders at the upcoming Agriculture of America (AFA) Regional Road Show coming up on August 14, 2024, in Wayzata, MN. #AgriGrowth #MnAg #AFA #Cargill Register Today: https://ow.ly/cf9U50SLjez
Standing Up for Minnesota's Animal Agriculture ? Raising livestock on a farm is not an easy job. This year, farmers face no shortage of challenges, from disease and extreme weather events, to inflation and market price fluctuation. A new challenge has emerged with the proposed regulations by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) that further regulates the use, sale, and transfer of manure. Facing mounting pressure from environmental groups and the federal government, the MPCA has proposed new requirements for the more than 1,000 farms with feedlot permits. While some proposed requirements will further ensure manure does not enter Minnesota’s rivers, lakes, and streams, other provisions would substantially alter the relationship between livestock producers and row crop farmers. No Clear Answers From MPCA The most significant change in the proposed permits requires livestock producers to become manure police officers for the State of Minnesota. If a livestock farmer sells or transfers manure to another farmer, the recipient of the manure must follow all the requirements in the seller’s feedlot permit. That includes spring application of manure. In addition, farmers selling or transferring manure must report where the recipient applied the manure and if they followed the requirements for manure application. These new proposed requirements disincentivize row crop farmers from purchasing and using manure. A farmer can avoid additional requirements by choosing to use commercial fertilizer, which does not play by the same rules. If a livestock farmer cannot get rid of their manure nor store additional manure, it becomes extremely difficult for the farmer to continue operations. At the first public meeting in Paynesville on July 15, farmers asked the MPCA numerous questions about what happens if no one takes their manure because of the new requirements. Questions were also asked about the science supporting many requirements, including the spring application of manure and not allowing nitrogen inhibitors and stabilizers in some parts of the state. Agency staff did not have clear answers. A Thriving Livestock Industry Means a Prosperous Farm Economy in Minnesota Minnesota’s farmers are exceptional stewards of land and do everything possible to protect drinking and surface water. Unfortunately, one-size-fits-all regulations that apply to only some farmers do not protect Minnesota’s waters. Instead, it simply puts new pressures and requirements on farmers with few guarantees of improved water quality. AgriGrowth, along with other farm leaders, will meet this week with MPCA Commissioner Kessler and MDA Commissioner Petersen to discuss the proposed changes. AgriGrowth will continue to provide future updates on this important topic.