U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said an amendment she secured in the agriculture funding bill that passed the Senate would allocate $1 million to the USDA Cereal Disease Lab, which is also located on the University of Minnesota campus.
Included in this funding is $500,000 for research on industrial hemp fiber, which would support Minnesota hemp growers and processors who are part of the $445 million industrial hemp industry. An additional $500,000 would accelerate research to prevent crop losses from mycotoxins, which would benefit Minnesota farmers.
The bill passed the Senate with a strong bipartisan vote of 87 to 9.
“This funding ensures Minnesota continues to lead in ag research and emerging crops like industrial hemp. This funding for the Cereal Disease Lab will help farmers expand markets and tackle the most pressing challenges they face in this uncertain moment through innovation,” said Klobuchar. “I will continue to work across the aisle to ensure this funding passes the House and is signed into law.”
The Cereal Disease Laboratory, operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and located on the University of Minnesota’s campus, conducts critical research on diseases affecting cereal crops, including wheat, corn, barley, oats, and more. Funding secured through the Senate-passed Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations bill will allow the lab to accelerate research that benefits Minnesota’s farmers and establish a new partnership aimed at improving processing of industrial hemp fiber.
