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Innovation Grant Program funds 12 projects in 2019

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The Minnesota Corn Innovation Grant Program returns for its fourth year in 2019, funding farmer-led, conservation-minded research projects. Each project will test a novel solution that prevents nitrogen and phosphorous loss on the farm. 

Farmers had until Dec. 31 to submit their Innovation Grant proposal. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) and Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council funded 12 of those for the 2019 growing season.

Participants in 2019 include both new recipients of grants and farmers who are continuing projects initially funded in past years of the program. Innovation Grant recipients are located on farms in Yellow Medicine, Goodhue, Faribault, Jackson, Martin, Rice, Swift, Mower and Lyon.

Examples of projects funded in 2019 include the impact of cover crops on reducing nutrient loss and soil erosion, as well as cover crop strategies that could potentially replace post-emergence herbicide. New tools for farmers are also being evaluated, like the use of soil probes to measure nutrients in the soil and overall soil health. The impact of strip-till on overall soil quality and profitability will also be tested in projects funded through the program.

In the first three years of the program, projects have included novel approaches to cover crop systems, state-of-the-art drip irrigation for spoon-feeding nitrogen, evaluating variable-rate nitrogen programs, and more.

MCGA will feature updates on each project on our blog this spring, summer and fall. Be sure to follow along at mncorn.org/blog. Progress on each project can also be found here throughout the summer.

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