MDA Awards $1.75 Million to Strengthen Local Food and Farm Businesses
Funding will expand capacity and boost sales of Minnesota agricultural products
St. Paul, MN: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded $1,755,623 in grant funding to 42 Minnesota businesses through its Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Value-Added Grant and Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing (MPEM) Grant. Both programs provide funding for Minnesota-based businesses to invest in equipment and physical improvement projects that support expanding production capacity, market diversification, and market access for agricultural products.
These grants are awarded through a competitive review process and range from $1,000 to $150,000. Grantees must provide a cash match of 50% for the first $50,000 of eligible project costs, and 75% for any additional costs, up to a maximum of $150,000. This cost-share model helps leverage private investment alongside state support. See the tables below for descriptions of funded projects.
Sixteen businesses across the state were awarded a total of $714,010 through the Value-Added Grant program. This funding supports a diverse group of businesses including produce processors, hemp product makers, food hubs, and value-added grain, herb, and beverage producers.
An additional 26 businesses received a total of $1,041,613 through the MPEM Grant track, which is dedicated to supporting meat, poultry, egg, and dairy processors. These businesses are making upgrades such as expanding cold storage, installing commercial-scale equipment, and launching new on-farm creameries to improve processing capacity and increase food safety.
“State support, when paired with the drive and investment of Minnesota’s farmers and food businesses, can lead to big results,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We’re proud to back entrepreneurs who are expanding their processing capacity, creating economic opportunity, and helping more Minnesotans access more locally produced food, fuel, and fiber.”
These awards are for fiscal year 2025, which ended on June 30. Applications for fiscal year 2026 Value-Added and MPEM grants are currently open and will be accepted through the MDA’s online application system until 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 7, 2025. For more information and to apply, visit the AGRI Value-Added Grant and Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant webpages.
2025 AGRI Value-Added Grant Awards
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Business Name
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Project summary
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City
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County
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Al-Corn Clean Fuel, LLC
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Purchase of distiller's grain drying equipment, enabling ethanol plant to expand production of ethanol, distillers grains, and corn oil sourced from MN grains.
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Claremont
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Dodge
|
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Ancient Wheat Craft
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Purchase of stone mill, grain cleaning equipment, and packaging equipment to grind MN-grown wheat into artisan flour.
|
Elbow Lake
|
Grant
|
|
Crested River
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Electrical install and purchase of a pasteurizer and clean-in-place system for greater hemp processing capacity and food safety.
|
Morgan
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Redwood
|
|
Hoyo
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Purchase of combination oven, vegetable peeler, vertical cutter machine, kettle mixer, metal detector, and additional equipment for increasing production capacity as a food manufacturer.
|
Minneapolis
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Hennepin
|
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In-Cider Orchard
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Purchase of freezer equipment including insulated walls, ceiling, doors, compressor, and condenser for food-safe storage of apple juice.
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Mora
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Kanabec
|
|
Loon Liquors
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Purchase of stone mill, grain cleaner, additional milling equipment, and distillery bottling equipment for increasing distillery grain processing.
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Northfield
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Rice
|
|
Nature's Holistic Farm, LLC
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Purchase of commercial-grade freeze dryer and freezer for increasing processing capacity of MN-grown herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
|
Saint Paul
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Ramsey
|
|
Nystrom Orchard
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Purchase of apple washer-grinder, transfer pump, power washer, pasteurizer, and bag filler for increasing cider processing efficiency and food safety.
|
Worthington
|
Nobles
|
|
PlantB, LLC
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Purchase of dry-blender and filler to increase processing capacity of plant protein product manufacturer.
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Minneapolis
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Hennepin
|
|
Rolling Forks Vineyards
|
Purchase of wine-bottling line.
|
Glenwood
|
Pope
|
|
Sandhill Mill
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Converting existing mill building into grain storage area for improved food safety.
|
Canby
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Yellow Medicine
|
|
Spirit Lake Native Farms
|
Purchase of firewood processor used for making wood-fired maple syrup and traditional parching of wild rice.
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Sawyer
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Carlton
|
|
Sunrich Products, LLC
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Purchase of pasteurization equipment for increased processing capacity of MN-grown sunflower kernels.
|
Crookston
|
Polk
|
|
The Good Acre
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Remodel of commercial kitchen to serve as dedicated space for processing, assembly, and packing of consumer-packaged goods and produce subscription boxes.
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Falcon Heights
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Ramsey
|
|
X2 Pastries
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Purchase of HVAC system, hood, double stack convection oven, singe rack roll-in oven, walk-in fridge, and a walk-in freezer for brick-and-mortar bakery.
|
Saint Paul
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Ramsey
|
|
Zumbro Falls Golf Club
|
Purchase of bottler, water heater, labeling machine, and air compressor for local winery.
|
Zumbro Falls
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Wabasha
|
2025 AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant Awards
|
Business Name
|
Project summary
|
City
|
County
|
|
Amo Creamery
|
Plumbing, ventilation, and epoxy flooring work, and refrigerated product transport for start-up on farm creamery.
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Heron Lake
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Jackson
|
|
Autumnwood Farm, LLC
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Purchase of filling/capping equipment for milk bottles and refrigerated transport vehicle.
|
Forest Lake
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Washington
|
|
B and E Meats
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Purchase of utensil washer for meat processing facility.
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Crookston
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Polk
|
|
Bear Country Meats
|
Purchase of refrigeration equipment for on-farm meat processing.
|
Kasson
|
Dodge
|
|
B&K Schrupp's Meat & Seafood, LLC
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Purchase of heat-sealing packaging machine for meat processing facility.
|
Paynesville
|
Stearns
|
|
Callahan Meats Inc.
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Purchase of processing equipment, packaging equipment, and slaughter facility improvements for meat processing facility, including a slicer, mixer/grinders, labeler, coolers, etc.
|
Barnesville
|
Clay
|
|
Chad Boisjolie
|
Hot water installation and purchase of a higher-volume scalder for mobile poultry processing trailer.
|
Le Sueur
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Le Sueur
|
|
Compass Rose Creamery
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Build-out of facility for start-up creamery, including purchase of cheese processing equipment.
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Sleepy Eye
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Brown
|
|
Concept Processing
|
Purchase of filler and bagger for more efficient and food-safe processing of fluid milk.
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Melrose
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Stearns
|
|
Conger Meat Market
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Purchase of meat processing equipment for increasing processing capacity, including a meat grinder, walk-in cooler and freezer, bandsaw, etc.
|
Conger
|
Freeborn
|
|
Deutz Brothers, LLC
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Cold storage expansion for meat products and egg washing.
|
Marshall
|
Lyon
|
|
Egan's Market
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Replacing meat processing facility flooring for increased food safety.
|
Adrian
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Nobles
|
|
Farmers Union Industries
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Purchase of new condenser to increase rendering capacity for area livestock and poultry producers' raw material.
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Redwood Falls
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Redwood
|
|
French Lake Butcher Shop
|
Purchase of a bowl chopper to increase sausage processing capacity.
|
South Haven
|
Wright
|
|
Gardner Family Farm
|
Purchase of an egg washer to increase processing capacity for pasture-raised eggs.
|
Spring Grove
|
Houston
|
|
Highwater Creek Meat Market, LLC
|
Purchase of a bandsaw, curing pump, patty machine, splitting saw, meat tenderizer, and meat slicer to increase processing capacity and increase food safety.
|
Jeffers
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Cottonwood
|
|
Ketter's Meats & Locker Plant
|
Purchase of meat grinder and ground beef bagger for increased meat processing capacity.
|
Frazee
|
Becker
|
|
Lakes Community Cooperative
|
Purchase of coolers and processing equipment for increased meat processing capacity.
|
Perham
|
Otter Tail
|
|
Morgans Meat Market
|
Purchase of mixer/mincer and new flooring for increasing meat processing capacity and food safety.
|
Waseca
|
Waseca
|
|
Orty's Custom Meats
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Purchase of automatic dishwasher for meat processing facility.
|
Deer River
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Itasca
|
|
Schroeder Meats
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Renovation of facility room to separate ready-to-eat product packaging from raw product, and purchase of a bacon slicer.
|
New Germany
|
Carver
|
|
South Forty Meat Market
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Purchase of a sausage stuffer and linker to increase processing capacity.
|
Lucan
|
Redwood
|
|
Swanson Meats Inc.
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Purchase of meat tenderizer and intervention applicator to increase processing capacity and food safety.
|
Minneapolis
|
Hennepin
|
|
Ten Finn’s Creamery
|
Purchase of on-farm milk pasteurizer and associated parts/pumps to increase milk processing capacity.
|
Menahga
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Wadena
|
|
TFC Poultry, LLC
|
Purchase of grinding equipment for increased processing capacity of ground turkey.
|
Ashby
|
Grant
|
|
White Bear Butchery Inc.
|
Renovating meat processing facility ceiling with antimicrobial, washable tiles to increase food safety.
|
White Bear Lake
|
Ramsey
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