This Minnesota Flower Grower Calls Herself a Farmer — but State Law Says Otherwise
April 11, 2025 | 1 min to read
Allie Kuppenbender believes her cut-flower business, Bleed Heart Floral, could thrive with a new bill designating floriculture as an agricultural product. While she grows vibrant flowers instead of traditional crops like corn or soybeans in the Zumbro River Valley, she faces familiar struggles, such as battling pests and dealing with drought. Kuppenbender's commitment to her craft reflects the challenges and rewards of farming in the region.
Allie Kuppenbender says her cut-flower business could blossom further with the support of a new bill classifying floriculture as an agricultural product.
With sleeves rolled up and boots thick with mud, Allie Kuppenbender tends to the seeds of what she hopes will be her most successful harvest yet.
But unlike many of the farms dotting the Zumbro River Valley, Kuppenbender isn’t nurturing corn or soybeans. She’s using the fertile soil to cultivate rows upon rows of colorful flowers for her budding business, Bleed Heart Floral.
To Kuppenbender, the work feels a lot like farming. And the challenges she faces — from fighting pests and coping with drought to finding reliable seasonal help — would feel familiar to most other farmers here in the southeastern part of the state.
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