Minnesota agricultural experiment station (MAES) uses hatch funds to conduct research related to five long-term critical issues: 1) advancing crop and plant production, 2) building strong youth,…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the Regents of the University of Minnesota $10.718 million under the Payments to Agricultural Experiment Stations Under the Hatch Act program (CFDA 10.203) on October 1, 2025.

The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station uses Hatch funds to conduct research addressing five long-term critical issues: advancing crop and plant production, building strong youth, families and rural economies, enhancing nutritious food development, improving animal and livestock systems, and stewarding soil, water and natural resources. Research projects focus on production, harvesting, processing, quality and marketing of food, agricultural and natural resource products, supported by faculty research in greenhouses and research fields. Expected outcomes include generation of new knowledge, techniques, technologies and policies that improve farm productivity and profitability, human nutrition, family and community life, rural and urban vitality, economic growth and development, and environmental quality. The station partners with extension to disseminate research findings to farmers, foresters and communities.

Intended beneficiaries include farmers, ranchers, forest and shoreland owners, producers of food and fuel, youth and families, tribal members, small businesses, local leaders, homeowners and gardeners across rural, suburban, urban and tribal communities in Minnesota and the United States.

The award period runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027, with place of performance in Minnesota. This formula grant is allocated under the statutory formula established in the Hatch Act to eligible state agricultural experiment stations.

Minnesota agricultural experiment station (MAES) uses hatch funds to conduct research related to five long-term critical issues: 1) advancing crop and plant production, 2) building strong youth, families and rural economies, 3) enhancing nutritious food development, 4) improving animal and livestock systems, and 5) stewarding soil, water and natural resources. MAES uses hatch funds to support interdisciplinary research and respond to ongoing and emerging issues. Hatch funds provide critical support for a broad range of expertise that serves the large- and small-scale agricultural, food and natural resources industries statewide. These funds also support faculty research in greenhouses and research fields, ensuring that researchers have what they need to start projects and generate results and deliver meaningful impacts. Research projects focus on production, harvesting, processing, quality and marketing of food, agricultural, and natural resource products. Expected outcomes include the generation of new knowledge, techniques, technologies, and policies that improve farm productivity and profitability, human nutrition, family and community life, rural and urban vitality, economic growth and development, and environmental quality. Researchers will also partner with extension to ensure research findings are shared with the farmers, foresters and communities who can benefit from them the most. Intended beneficiaries of hatch research projects include: farmers, ranchers, forest and shoreland owners; other producers of food, fuel and textiles; youth and families; tribal members; small businesses and local leaders; homeowners and renters; gardeners and cottage foods producers. These stakeholders span rural, suburban, urban, and tribal communities in minnesota and across the united states.