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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Rural Finance Authority (RFA) has announced details for the next round of funding for its popular Down Payment Assistance Grant program, which will open for applications on August 1, 2024.

The Down Payment Assistance Grant offers up to $15,000 for qualified farmers to purchase their first farm. Eligible applicants must earn less than $250,000 per year in gross agricultural sales, and each award must be matched with at least $8,000 of other funds. 

While all eligible farmers are encouraged to apply, priority for this round of grants will be given to applicants with no more than $100,000 in annual gross farm product sales or applicants who are producers of industrial hemp, cannabis, or specialty crops. Applicants cannot be related by blood or marriage to the owner of the farmland that they intend to acquire.

After the application window closes, all eligible requests will be placed in a randomized lottery to determine the order in which grants are awarded, with the identified priority applicants being given precedence. If funding remains after the MDA has awarded grants to all priority applicants, the MDA will award as many grants as funding allows to all remaining applicants in the order of their lottery placement.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on September 15, 2024, and applicants will be notified of award decisions in late September.

Awards will remain valid for purchases closing within six months after award approval or until June 30, 2025, whichever is sooner. Farm purchases must take place after approval of the application. The MDA cannot award grants retroactively for purchases that have already happened.

To view the full grant eligibility requirements and access the RFP, visit the MDA website.

Leading up to the opening of the application window, the MDA and Farmland Access Hub are partnering to host a series of informational webinars for prospective applicants. Each webinar will focus on a different topic related to the grant program and the farm-buying process. Details on each session and how to join are below.

• Grant Overview and Preparation for Buying a Farm
  • Tuesday, July 23, 4-5 p.m.
  • Join through Zoom.
• Affordability and Financing Your Farm Purchase
  • Wednesday, July 24, 4-5 p.m.
  • Join through Zoom.
• Finding and Securing Farmland
  • Tuesday, July 30, 4-5 p.m.
  • Join through Zoom.
• Detailed Review of Grant RFP
  • Wednesday, July 31, 4-5 p.m.
  • Join through Zoom.

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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

Sixteen retail service stations throughout the state have received grant funding from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to increase access to and sales of motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol.

Through the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Biofuels Infrastructure Grant program, the 16 stations were awarded a total of over $3 million in one-time funds through a competitive review process. A full list of this year’s recipients and their award amounts is found below.

“With the EPA’s recent decision to allow year-round E15 sales for 2024 and beyond, the MDA is pleased to partner with these service stations to expand access to this lower-cost, cleaner fuel alternative at the pump for Minnesotans while supporting our state’s agricultural community,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen.

Grant funds can be used to cover costs associated with the replacement or upgrading of current station equipment so it can be certified as compatible with E25 or higher motor fuel blends. To be eligible, grantees must be a retail petroleum dispenser in Minnesota with no more than 10 sites.

Details of previously funded projects as well as more information on the Biofuels Infrastructure Grant can be found on the MDA website.

Funding for this grant program is made available through a legislative appropriation for the AGRI Program, as well as additional support from Minnesota Corn. The AGRI Program administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout Minnesota to advance the state’s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.

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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

Applications will soon open for the latest round of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Soil Health Financial Assistance Program grants.

The grants are available to individual producers, producer groups, and tribal and local governments to purchase or retrofit soil health equipment. Grant awards will provide up to 50% cost-share, with a minimum award of $500 and a maximum award of $45,000. The 2024 Legislature appropriated $2.375 million for grants statewide, along with an additional $495,000 available for grants in Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona counties. The MDA will begin accepting applications August 1.

"Specialized, expensive equipment can be a barrier for farmers wanting to implement soil health practices, so it’s important we invest in programs like the Soil Health Financial Assistance Program grants,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “The soil health benefits we see to water quality and our other natural resources go beyond a farm’s border and can have a positive impact on many Minnesotans.”

Examples of eligible new or used equipment include, but are not limited to, no-till drills, air seeders, strip tillage units, and more.

The Request for Proposals and the application link can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/soilhealthgrant once the application opens on August 1. Applications are due August 30, 2024. Awards will be announced by January 1, 2025.

This is the third round of Soil Health Financial Assistance Program grants. The second round awarded over $2.3 million to 81 individuals and organizations across Minnesota. No-till drills, air seeders, and strip tillage equipment were among the most requested pieces of equipment. The second round received more than 280 applications for more than $8.4 million – over 3.5 times the funding available.

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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded $250,000 to the Southwest Regional Development Commission (SRDC) to support the organization’s Southwest Minnesota Meat Processor Workforce Development Initiative.

Awarded through the MDA’s Meat Processing Train & Retain Grant program, the one-time funding will assist small- to medium-sized meat and poultry processors with hiring and training new employees.

“Local meat processing facilities play a central role in sustaining Minnesota’s livestock industry as well as our rural economies and communities,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “The MDA is thankful to the SRDC for their efforts to grow and strengthen the meat processing workforce in southwest Minnesota, and we look forward to future opportunities to support similar efforts in all areas of the state.”

The SRDC will leverage the grant funds to collaborate with partner organizations to train and hire employees, address barriers to employment, and provide direct and supportive services to new employees. The project aims to support approximately 45 small- to medium-sized processors in the SRDC’s service area.

“The Southwest Regional Development Commission and its project partners are thrilled to launch this project, which has the potential to meet immediate workforce needs and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the vital food industry,” said SRDC Deputy Director Robin Weis. “The SRDC is eager to be part of this initiative, which aims to invest in 30 individuals by providing support for training gaps, both formal and on-the-job, offering unique retention strategies, and minimizing employment barriers.”

For more information about the Meat Processing Train & Retain Grant, visit the MDA website.

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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is gathering ideas as the agency considers the state’s next biennial budget, and we want your input. Farmers, businesses, and others impacted by food and agriculture systems are all invited to share policy, funding, and program suggestions.

The MDA is hosting two virtual public input sessions where people can share their ideas directly, in addition to an online form for written submissions open through August 16, 2024.

The two sessions will take place on Zoom. Participation is free, but registration is required. The sessions are scheduled for:

• Monday, August 12, from noon – 1 p.m. Register for this event.
• Tuesday, August 13, from 5 – 6 p.m. Register for this event.

The Minnesota Legislature appropriates funds for the MDA and related agricultural activities through a two-year budget bill that is part of the state’s overall government funding.

State budgets are set in legislative sessions that take place in odd-numbered years and are sometimes revised during sessions in even-numbered years. The next legislative session begins on January 14, 2025, and will determine the next two-year state budget.

Information about the MDA’s mission, leadership, and responsibilities is available on our website.

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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us