Innovation Grant Program announces 2021 projects
The Minnesota Corn Innovation Grant Program returns for its sixth year of funding farmer-led research aimed at improving on-farm conservation and sustainability. The state’s corn farmers once again answered the call for unique, cutting edge ideas that rethink on-farm practices and management.
This year’s proposals included everything from new uses for corn to ways to improve nutrient efficiency and water quality. Fourteen recipients were selected to take part in the 2021 Innovation Grant Program, which to date has invested nearly $850,000 in 78 original projects identifying practical innovations that can be replicated by Minnesota farmers and farmer-led research. The following projects will move forward this spring:
- Minimizing corn plant variability using a planter weight distribution system
- Reducing nitrate in a surficial sand aquifer
- Corn trial teaching tool and ag research
- Establishing a paired watershed to prepare for conservation practice assessment (year 2)
- Pushing the limits on nitrate removal: a watershed-scale bioreactor (year 3)
- Soil health demonstration site
- Performance and cost-benefit analysis of bioreactor systems for p mitigation
- Nitrogen use efficiency increased with biologicals
- Evaluating the value of a microbial(n)in corn production
- Investigating “living carbon” composted manure to improve nutrient mineralization
- Digital crop doc, a digital diagnostics service for Minnesota producers
- Value-added use of corn byproducts as nanocarriers of biopesticides
- Nitrogen dynamics and losses in artificially drainage agricultural fields
- On-farm generation of nitrogen fertilizer
Each will receive up to $7,000 for a one-year study, or up to $30,000 for replicated research. The investment in farmer-led research and innovation is made possible through corn farmers’ investment in the Minnesota corn check-off.
Visit mncorn.org/research to learn more about ongoing or completed research projects.
