Knock on the Web

New opportunities for Minnesota agriculture get in-depth treatment on MGO’s site

By Dan Lemke

St. Paul, Minn. — For farmers willing to strike out in new directions, the Minnesota Grown Opportunities Web site promises to be a deep well. Up and running since late June, www.mgo.umn.edu is designed to be a comprehensive resource on emerging agricultural alternatives.

“The goal is to help farmers, lenders and others have access to information on options,” says Kevin Edberg, Minnesota Department of Agriculture marketing director. “This includes production information, some of the costs involved, marketing information and market size — the kinds of things people would want to think about before they pursue these alternatives.”

The Web site is the result of cooperation between AURI, MDA and the University of Minnesota. Each organization adds its own expertise to provide well-rounded information. The University has broad resources including production stats and recommendations, MDA addresses markets and marketing needs, while AURI reviews processing and value-added opportunities.

“This is a good resource to answer questions about alternative crops and what they can be made into,” says Kai Bjerkness, AURI director of planning and development. “It’s an objective source for producers to get good baseline information on alternative crops and sort through some of the issues that may accompany their development.”

The Minnesota Grown Opportunities site could be a one-stop information source for producers. Those involved hope it is also seen as a network of resources to be tapped.

“A key asset to Web-based information is that it creates a network of people with similar interests,” says Chris Hanson of the U of M Center for Alternative Plant and Animal Products. “By connecting producers interested in the same things, you can help to build the base for the industry.”

Information packets have been put together on 10 ag alternatives, including hybrid poplar, cranberries and buckwheat; five more are in development. Edberg says the goal is to add 10 new packets a year, each examining a separate crop or livestock opportunity.

Besides providing information, the ag diversification program helps develop alternatives that show promise. “An example is meat goats,” Edberg says (see story on page seven). “We’re looking at a changing population in a region that is familiar with goat products. That could present a market opportunity for some producers.”