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August 2026 Month In Review

As summer continued to unfold, August brought new opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share the many pathways agriculture offers.  Each event and interaction contributed to a larger goal: building awareness, strengthening relationships, and creating opportunities that inspire the next generation of agricultural professionals.

Minnesota Farmfest will go in the record books this year for having some of the best weather we’ve seen for this event in ages! We’re grateful for the conversations had with so many friends/neighbors/partners at this event and that was largely in part to numerous Farm Business Management faculty from Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Riverland Community College and South Central College volunteering.
A special thank you to Dr. Raju (President of South Central College) for attending Farmfest again this year and stopping by to say hi!
Thank you Kibble Equipment for making space in its tent for the combine simulator! They reported that traffic was non-stop all day long!
Finally, thank you to Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center for leading this effort and including us as a vendor in its tent!

MBFFA Food & Ag Tour

Grow. Learn. Lead.

The MBFFA Food & Ag Tour brought together small businesses, entrepreneurs, and community partners for a day of learning, connection, and inspiration across southern Minnesota.
Participants toured Blue Earth Stockyard LLC, The Country Butcher Shop in Easton MTRY & CO, and St. Germain Simmentals in Winnebago, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the businesses, families, and innovative practices shaping today’s food and agriculture industry.
The day continued at MTS Farm and Events, LLC with a locally sourced meal, insights from Travis M. Thul, Strategic Partnership Center – Minnesota State University, Mankato, and an inspiring keynote from Emily Knudsen, co-owner and creative visionary of Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm.
We are proud to support the work of MBFFA (Mainstreet Businesses Focused on Food and Agriculture), a regional collaborative operated through the Strategic Partnership Center – Minnesota State University, Mankato, providing support, counseling, and technical assistance to food and ag entrepreneurs.

Nourish the Future

 In August 2026, Courtney participated in Nourish the Future, a national agricultural education initiative sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association and the United Soybean Board,  as they hosted “Feeding and Fueling the World: A Workshop for Science Teachers” at Northfield Middle School in Northfield, Minnesota. The professional development event was designed for K-12 science and agricultural educators and focused on connecting STEM concepts such as biology, chemistry, and environmental science to modern agriculture and bio-based industries.

During the workshop, teachers participated in hands-on laboratory activities exploring topics including biofuels, soil health, and biotechnology. Attendees also received free, NGSS-aligned curriculum resources, classroom supplies, and opportunities to learn directly from agricultural industry professionals. The event aimed to strengthen educators’ understanding of agriculture-related STEM careers and provide practical tools for bringing real-world agricultural science into their classrooms.

Far beyond the classroom. The hands-on learning was incredible!

Check out the action for yourself!

ENGAGE! 2026

My Place. My Path. My Future.


The core plan of the Academies of Shakopee is to ensure college and career readiness regardless of the Academy or courses a student chooses. Students are encouraged to explore various interests while also defining their educational pathway.

Courtney attended the ENGAGE! 2026 event in an effort to collaborate both with Shakopee High School educators, community partners, and other outreach professionals. There are eight specialized career Academies, each designed to ignite student interests. Having a voice at the table allowed the opportunity to surface the importance and need for AFNR education.

Congressional Agribusiness Roundtable

Nathan was invited to attend a policy roundtable discussion with Congressman G.T. Thompson (Chair of the House Agriculture Committee) along with Congressman Brad Finstad and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach.  This was an opportunity for our congressional leaders to hear directly from members of the agriculture, business and education community about the issues, challenges, and opportunities impacting our region.  You can see more about this event, as well as a short cameo of Nathan, by watching this video from KEYC TV.
 https://www.keyc.com/2026/08/14/republican-lawmakers-hold-roundtable-with-area-leaders-mankato

Seed to Sauce Program

Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota

Picture a late-summer morning with early elementary students learning about where their food comes from.

That’s exactly what we got to experience this week! The kids picked beans, tomatoes and even grapes from the garden at the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota and then ate what they picked. Talk about farm-to-table learning!

To add to the experience and food variety, fresh produce and herbs were purchased from local producers at the North Mankato Farmers’ Market and Mankato Farmers’ Market.

Then, Maisie with the Living Earth Center and Morrigan and Bruce, two interns through the MSU Mankato Dietetics and Nutrition / Family Consumer Science at MSU – Mankato program, turned the fresh ingredients into a delicious green garden dip. The kids helped cut up the produce, learned about the nutrition of the foods they were eating, and most importantly, got to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables!) of their work. 

Through the Seed to Sauce program led by the Living Earth Center, it was a great way to connect kids with local food, agriculture and healthy eating all in one hands-on fun experience! Thanks to all of these groups for the collaboration!

RiverLAND Lab Festival

Congratulations to Riverland Community College on the open house and ribbon cutting for its brand-new RiverLAND Lab!
This beautiful outdoor garden space on the Austin campus is a wonderful addition to the college and community, made possible through a partnership with the City of Austin and Mower County.
It was a gorgeous day to celebrate this exciting new space, and we were glad to be part of it!
We’d also like to extend our congratulations and best wishes to Dr. Okey as he begins his retirement!

A Day at the Minnesota State Fair

What started as a fun day at the Minnesota State Fair became a powerful reminder of the incredible people and partnerships that make agriculture so special. Grateful to connect with organizations and leaders like Minnesota STEM Ecosystem, Southeast Service Cooperative, Minnesota 4-H, CFANS, Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, Minnesota State, Minnesota FFA Association, Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence, UMN Extension 4-H Plant Sciences, Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors, Alumni, & Friends, Kristin Campbell Harner and many others.

Agriculture’s greatest strength is its people!

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August. A true reminder of the "why" behind the work we do.

Through every conversation, event, and partnership. We remained focused on creating meaningful connections and expanding opportunities for those we serve. The calendar was full, the miles added up, and the experiences were unforgettable. We are grateful for another month of making an impact and excited for what lies ahead.

August 2026 Month in Review