Annual 'Greenbook' highlights sustainable agriculture innovations

The 2012 edition of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Greenbook is now available. The Greenbook publication highlights the results of innovative products.

The projects are funded by the MDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program, which promotes environmental stewardship and conservation of resources and strives to improve profitability and quality of life on farms and in rural areas.

MDA commissioner Dave Frederickson said the Greenbook is a valuable resource for farmers, researchers and others seeking to advance Minnesota agriculture and improve the quality of life in rural areas.

Greenbook editor Jeanne Ciborowski said the new edition features 17 sustainable agriculture projects in four major topic areas: alternative markets and specialty crops; cropping systems and soil fertility; fruits and vegetables; and livestock.

“Among the projects are strategies for growing blackberries organically under high tunnels, which provides for winter protection and increased production, and growing fresh cabbage for markets using integrated pest management,” said Ciborowski. Other projects included a feasibility study of small farm commercial hops production and cultivating and marketing organic mushrooms in a northern climate.

For a free copy of Greenbook 2012, call (651) 201-6012 or visit www.mda.state.mn.us/greenbook.

Tags: country, agriculture