Ten projects are being funded



department of agriculture


*For Immediate Release*




*Media Contact: *Allen Sommerfeld

651-201-6185

[email protected]




April 3, 2025

Previous Announcements [ [link removed] ]





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MDA Announces Continuous Living Cover Grant Recipients

Ten projects are being funded

*St. Paul, MN*: Minnesota’s continuous living cover crops have received a boost to further their advancements across the state. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded a total of $431,637 to 10 new projects under the Developing Markets for Continuous Living Cover Grant [ [link removed] ]. These grants help develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous living cover crops and cropping systems in the early stage of commercial development.

Funding was provided to the MDA by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and state’s General Fund.

Continuous living cover (CLC) refers to agricultural systems in which there are living plants and roots in the ground throughout the entire year. This can take many forms, from winter cover crops sown between summer annuals to agroforestry practices, perennial forage crops, perennial biomass crops, and perennial grain production. This includes but is not limited to regenerative poultry silvopasture systems, Kernza® perennial grain, winter camelina, and elderberry.

CLC crops have been shown to enhance water and soil quality, sequester carbon, build soil health, and provide greater biodiversity and pollinator habitat. Significant environmental benefits of these crops will result from widespread production, which requires robust value chains and markets.

CLC Grant recipients

*Organization Name*



*Project Summary*



*Award Total*



Bang Brewing Company LLC



Increase the percentage of Kernza® in their beer to meet the Perennial Percent™ label and improve marketing. Purchase and convert a van to sell beer as the sole brewer at Mill City Market.



$45,000



Estling Farms Inc



Develop a dedicated seed cleaning line for emerging continuous living cover crops. A new seed cleaning line will reduce the cost of CLC crop seed for farmers in northern Minnesota.



$45,000



Midwest Elderberry Cooperative



Improve the developing regional hub for harvested American elderberries by purchasing a used refrigerated container for storage and paving the driveway to accommodate large trucks.



$45,000



Midwest Hazelnuts LLC



Purchase the equipment, supplies, and services needed for one aggregation station at a Midwest Hazelnuts LLC Go First Farm in Minnesota.



$44,772



Perennial Pantry



Create marketing content and strategies to enhance capacity and increase sales of CLC products.



$45,000



Perennial Promise Growers



Continue market expansion for Kernza® and value-added products through customer lead generation/qualification/cultivation, provision of samples to prospective users, placement and fulfillment of orders, post-sale customer service, and coordination with value-added partners.



$45,000



Regenerative Agriculture Alliance



Purchase and distribute improved Midwest Hazelnut LLC plant material directly to growers involved with the Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agroforestry ecosystem. This project will also fund training opportunities for growers.



$35,865



Sturdiwheat Inc.



Modify existing recipes to include 1-5% perennial grain flour and update the packaging design to highlight the perennial grains.



$45,000



SUN Consulting Inc.



Build a self-propelled, mound bed cutter to sever the new woody stem of hazelnuts below the new root base, to harvest 2-year-old, farm-ready, bare root “whips” from propagation beds.



$36,000



Tree Range Farms



Increase operational capacity to market the silvopasture poultry to Minnesota schools, communities, retailers, and restaurants.



$45,000



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