What type of license or permits must I obtain to sell micro-greens directly to restaurants, grocery stores and the public? What type of limitations are there in regards?

There are several layers of regulations that may affect your plan.

Can I Sell Fresh-Squeezed Juice or Cider at the Farmers’ Market?

Raw juice and cider are potentially hazardous products that have been responsible for many illness outbreaks, so sale of raw juice and cider is very tightly controlled.

Looking for guidance on food safety rules, requirements and best practices for meals served at special events

One resource you should take a look at is “Come & Get It! What You Need to Know to Serve Food on Your Farm.”

https://www.misa.umn.edu/publications/comeandgetit

Farms are viewed by the law as the same kind of venue as anywhere else — farmers have to abide by the same food & beverage service regulations as anyone else — so the regulatory information in that publication would also be useful for festivals and events.

Is it legal to sell inspected primal cuts of meat directly off a mobile processing unit to restaurants and institutions?

 Yes, sale of inspected primal cuts would be legal, if a couple of conditions are met:

1. The mobile unit would have to have the correct licensing. There are a couple of ways to have mobility:  a mobile processing plant, or a mobile transport unit that would transport primal cuts from a brick-and-mortar processing plant to a buyer.

Can Farmers’ Markets do Farm to School?

Yes!  MISA’s Aggregation of Farmers’ Produce fact sheet was developed in response to the experience of the Wabasha Farmers’ Market in doing Farm to School sales. It includes specific steps and templates for food safety protocols that were satisfactory to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.  The Wabasha Market is now a licensed Wholesale Food Handler for their farmers’ market-based aggregation and distribution to schools, hospitals, and restaurants in the Wabasha area.

The fact sheet download link plus other inforomation:
https://www.misa.umn.edu/resources/local-food-sales-resources/aggregation-sale-farm-products

More about the Wabasha story is captured in a case study, available here:

https://mnlocalfoodregs.wordpress.com/case-studies/

How Can I Find a Meat Processor for My Livestock?

Choosing a meat processor is a big decision. Start by making a list of inspected processors within what you consider a reasonable driving distance from your farm, and then do research. 

How can a student from outside the United States come to study at the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture?

It is important to understand that the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) is one small organization within the University of Minnesota. MISA staff are involved in the Sustainable Agricultural Systems degree programs, but the courses and the degrees are offered through the University of Minnesota.

You would need to apply to become a student at the University of Minnesota, and then choose Sustainable Agricultural Systems as your minor degree program. Here is the link for finding more information about admission to the University of Minnesota:
http://twin-cities.umn.edu/admissions-aid

Insurance for Selling at Farmers’ Markets

The Minnesota Farmers Market Association (MFMA) offers insurance coverage for farmers’ markets and for vendors.

Generally, insurance for the markets covers injuries that may happen in the common market space.  

Does a Multi-Farm CSA Need a License?

It depends.

The right to sell products that you raise on your property (either owned or leased) without a license is protected by the Constitution of the State of Minnesota, Article 13, Section 7:
https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/constitution/#article_13

If all of the farmers who produce products for the CSA are present at the place and time where customers pick up their CSA shares, then no license is needed.

That is often not the scenario, though. If one farmer is handling packing of the containers, or delivery of the CSA shares, or both — then it is not all product of that farmer’s farm.

A Stearns County District Court case in 2013 upheld the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s position that farmers distributing the products of other farms, not their own, must be licensed for that activity of collecting and distributing products.  Case # 73-CR-12-2846; http://pa.courts.state.mn.us/  

What is being done to address the decline of nutrients in our fruits and vegetables?

The underlying problem is that of soil erosion and loss of topsoil.  This is a serious situation that is getting a lot of attention from us and our colleagues.  MISA has a formal partnership with the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, which is very involved in bringing forward information and fostering discussion about soil health.  Through an organization related to MISA, called Green Lands Blue Waters, we are working with researchers and educators in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois to address the issue of soil erosion through development of new crops and cropping systems.

Please have a look at the following materials that provide a great deal of information about work being done to improve soil health and reduce soil and nutrient loss from farming systems.