Photos: See the record number of crop art pieces at the Minnesota State Fair

A record 594 crop art pieces were submitted to the Minnesota State Fair this year, up from last year’s record 451.

On day one the lines to see the works remained tangled outside of the Agriculture Horticulture Building, a tradition that is sure to continue the next 12 days.

The pieces focused on topics like the federal immigration-enforcement surge last winter, Minnesota Lynx players and the debut of the smash-hit TV show “Heated Rivalry” last November.

Every seed used must be from a Minnesota-grown crop. In 2027, quinoa will be banned from the competition because Minnesota farmers don’t grow the seed. Crop artists told MPR News it will be a big loss. In 2023 the fair banned yellow mustard seed after many artists had already started their entries. The ban was later reversed.

The competition has exploded in recent years according to crop art superintendent Marta Shore, but there is only so much space to display the pieces in the building.

“If someone would like to donate $10 million to build us a crop art building, we would love it,” Shore said.

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