Growing the market for more river-friendly agriculture

Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative — $50,000

The growers cooperative will use the funds to promote and market Kernza — leading to more demand and, as a result, more products featuring the perennial grain.

Regenerative Agriculture Alliance — $50,000

The organization will purchase a mechanical harvester and two de-husking units for two hazelnut grower networks in Minnesota. (Read more about the region's emerging hazelnut industry via AgWeek.)

Perennial Pantry — $50,000

A new processing plant in Northfield, Minnesota, will allow the business to increase production of clean-water crops products, such as Kernza crackers. The grant is being used to help get that facility up and running.

Midwest Elderberry Cooperative — $50,000

The grant will help the cooperative design, build and test a prototype of a new machine for more efficiently de-stemming elderberries. 

Nine Hazels Farm — $29,657

Improvements to the farm's greenhouse operations will allow them to produce and sell seedling plugs for hybrid hazelnuts.

Dawson Drug & Gifts — $50,000

They plan to buy a new freeze dryer that will help expand the market for products made with clean-water crops — particularly fruits.

Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative — $48,000

The cooperative will look to expand marketing to existing customers, while promoting Kernza grain to new customers.

River Rock Kitchen & Baking Co. — $50,000

This small business from St. Peter, Minnesota, aims to use Kernza in at least 75% of its baked goods.

Rookie Farmers, LLC — $50,000

Rookie Farmers, LLC plans to use the grant funds to purchase a cleaning trailer for winter camelina — the oilseed that, as the Star Tribune put it, "could save the Mississippi River."

Gertens — $50,000

The business has its eye on hybrid hazelnuts, and says it will use the grant money to propagate as many as 10,000 farm-ready hybrid hazelnut plants.

MSX Nexgen Inc. — $50,000

This grant money will be used to create a regional location where clean-water crops — including winter camelina Kernza and others as needed — can be pre-cleaned, dried and stored.

Bang Brewing Company — $45,000

This St. Paul brewery will increase the percentage of Kernza it uses in its beer (part of its commitment to the The Land Institute's Perennial Percent program), as well as improve its marketing. 

Estling Farms Inc — $45,000

This company plans to develop a seed cleaning line for clean-water crops that help provide continuous living cover — which will reduce the cost of seed for northern Minnesota farmers.

Midwest Elderberry Cooperative — $45,000

The cooperative will buy a used refrigerator for additional storage of harvested elderberries, and also pave the driveway of its regional hub to accommodate larger trucks. 

Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC — $44,772

The funds will be used to set up an aggregation station at a Go First Farm in Minnesota. 

Perennial Pantry — $45,000

The company is looking to increase capacity and sales of products made with clean-water crops, and will use the grant money to create marketing content and strategies. 

Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative — $45,000

The cooperative will find and develop customers for Kernza products, provide samples for potential customers, fulfill orders and provide customer service with its funds. 

Regenerative Agriculture Alliance — $35,865

This group will buy plant material from Midwest Hazelnut LLC, then distribute it among growers who are involved with the Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agroforestry ecosystem.

Sturdiwheat — $45,000

The Stillwater-based small business will tweak the recipes of its mixes to include 1-5% perennial grain flour, and also modify its packaging to highlight the inclusion.

SUN Consulting Inc. — $36,000

SUN Consulting will build a new cutter that will help with the harvesting of 2-year-old, farm-ready hazelnut plants in propagation beds.

Tree Range Farms — $45,000

Tree Range Farms raises slow-growth chickens that live in forested pastures, where they can forage on plants, sprouted grain and bugs — their natural diet. The farm will use the grant money to help market this type of poultry to schools, communities, retailers and restaurants in Minnesota.

Announced by the MDA in January of 2026, this grant was funded through the Minnesota Climate Smart Food Systems Initiative. Eight businesses received a total of $492,679 in funding. 

40 Century Grain — $60,228

The company is developing new products, including granolas with Minnesota-grown crops like hazelnuts, elderberries and currants, as well as Kernza flakes. It also established purchase agreements directly with Minnesota farmers who are growing clean-water crops.

Gerten Greenhouses — $74,610

Gerten is scaling up its hybrid hazelnut work, with an outdoor operation that will allow for up to 8,000 farm-ready hybrid hazelnut plants to be grown.

Ivy & Karma Inc. (Green Acres Milling) — $100,000

The business will use the funds to develop a new modern oat processing facility.

Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC — $30,881

Midwest Hazelnuts plans to expand its team in order to increase plant sales and help support nursery contracts.

Minnesota Native Landscapes — $42,500

A new brush machine will help Minnesota Native Landscapes more efficiently process continuous living cover crops — which means more, better seed will be available for farmers to grow.

MSX Nexgen Inc. — $49,000

An existing seed cleaner will get an upgrade. The addition of an auger and generator will allow the cleaner to be moved from farm to farm as a standalone unit.

Perennial Pantry — $100,000

This growing business has big plans for Kernza: A retail space at its Northfield bakery to make CLC products more accessible and affordable, new equipment to improve the production of Kernza flour and eventually a brick-and-mortar store dedicated to CLC crops.

Regenerative Agriculture Alliance — $35,460

The alliance will help get hybrid hazelnut seedlings and tree tubes to farmers that want to increase productivity and diversity on their farms. There are also plans to support hazelnut harvesting and training opportunities.