MDA Awards Over $1.75 Million to Strengthen Local Food and Farm Businesses

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. Awards 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

Business Name	Project summary	City	County
Al-Corn Clean Fuel, LLC	Purchase of distiller's grain drying equipment, enabling ethanol plant to expand production of ethanol, distillers grains, and corn oil sourced from MN grains.	Claremont	Dodge
Ancient Wheat Craft	Purchase of stone mill, grain cleaning equipment, and packaging equipment to grind MN-grown wheat into artisan flour.	Elbow Lake	Grant
Crested River	Electrical install and purchase of a pasteurizer and clean-in-place system for greater hemp processing capacity and food safety.	Morgan	Redwood
Hoyo	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	Hennepin
In-Cider Orchard	Purchase of freezer equipment including insulated walls, ceiling, doors, compressor, and condenser for food-safe storage of apple juice.	Mora	Kanabec
Loon Liquors	Purchase of stone mill, grain cleaner, additional milling equipment, and distillery bottling equipment for increasing distillery grain processing.	Northfield	Rice
Nature's Holistic Farm, LLC	Purchase of commercial-grade freeze dryer and freezer for increasing processing capacity of MN-grown herbs, fruits, and vegetables.	Saint Paul	Ramsey
Nystrom Orchard	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	Purchase of dry-blender and filler to increase processing capacity of plant protein product manufacturer.	Minneapolis	Hennepin
Rolling Forks Vineyards	Purchase of wine-bottling line.	Glenwood	Pope
Sandhill Mill	Converting existing mill building into grain storage area for improved food safety.	Canby	Yellow Medicine
Spirit Lake Native Farms	Purchase of firewood processor used for making wood-fired maple syrup and traditional parching of wild rice.	Sawyer	Carlton
Sunrich Products, LLC	Purchase of pasteurization equipment for increased processing capacity of MN-grown sunflower kernels.	Crookston	Polk
The Good Acre	Remodel of commercial kitchen to serve as dedicated space for processing, assembly, and packaging of consumer packaged goods and produce subscription boxes.	Falcon Heights	Ramsey
X2 Pastries	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	Ramsey
Zumbro Falls Golf Club	Purchase of bottler, water heater, labeling machine, and air compressor for local winery.	Zumbro Falls	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.	Heron Lake	Jackson
Autumnwood Farm, LLC	Purchase of filling/capping equipment for milk bottles and refrigerated transport vehicle.	Forest Lake	Washington
B and E Meats	Purchase of utensil washer for meat processing facility.	Crookston	Polk
Bear Country Meats	Purchase of refrigeration equipment for on-farm meat processing.	Kasson	Dodge
B&K Schrupp's Meat & Seafood, LLC	Purchase of heat-sealing packaging machine for meat processing facility.	Paynesville	Stearns
Callahan Meats Inc.	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	Le Sueur
Compass Rose Creamery	Build-out of facility for start-up creamery, including purchase of cheese processing equipment.	Sleepy Eye	Brown
Concept Processing	Purchase of filler and bagger for more efficient and food-safe processing of fluid milk.	Melrose	Stearns
Conger Meat Market	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	Cold storage expansion for meat products and egg washing.	Marshall	Lyon
Egan's Market	Replacing meat processing facility flooring for increased food safety.	Adrian	Nobles
Farmers Union Industries	Purchase of new condenser to increase rendering capacity for area livestock and poultry producers' raw material.	Redwood Falls	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	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	Purchase of automatic dishwasher for meat processing facility.	Deer River	Itasca
Schroeder Meats	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	Purchase of a sausage stuffer and linker to increase processing capacity.	Lucan	Redwood
Swanson Meats Inc.	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	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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Media Contact
Nikki Warner, MDA Communications
651-238-7909
Nikki.Warner@state.mn.us