Minnesota Department of Agriculture Invests in Kernza® Supply Chain

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) contributed $500,000 to eight projects across the state to improve the Kernza supply chain and support markets for continuous living cover (CLC*) and perennial crops. This investment will support farmers, processors, and food businesses in bringing perennial cropping systems to a viable commercial scale and in expanding agricultural systems that improve water and soil quality, sequester carbon, and support above and belowground biodiversity.

Two of the eight businesses that received grant funding from the MDA will use the investment to improve Kernza supply chains. This includes 40 Century Grain, which will develop commercial products made with Kernza flakes and establish direct purchase agreements with farmers, and Perennial Pantry, which will upgrade its Kernza milling and baking operation, expand marketing, install appropriate processing equipment, and launch a brick-and-mortar grocery store dedicated to making CLC crops more accessible and affordable.

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*Continuous living cover refers to agricultural systems that maintain living plants and roots in soil year-round. These systems include winter cover crops sown between summer annuals, agroforestry practices, perennial forage crops, perennial biomass crops, and perennial grain production. Examples include regenerative poultry silvopasture systems, Kernza® perennial grain, winter camelina, and elderberry.