Cities in Minnesota may enact ordinances requiring MDA licensed commercial and noncommercial applicators to post a warning
April 17, 2023
A new grant opportunity for organizations that support emerging farmers is now open for applications through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Rural Finance Authority (RFA).
The Emerging Farmer Technical Assistance Grant is available to those who provide technical assistance services to emerging farmers in Minnesota. Grant funds can also be used by these organizations to pay up to 65% of emerging farmers’ premium expenses for up to two years under the USDA Micro Farm Crop Insurance program.
“Access to culturally appropriate technical assistance is a top need for Minnesota’s emerging farmers,” says Patrice Bailey, assistant commissioner at the MDA. “This grant is an important tool to support farmers and producers across the state in overcoming disparities and barriers to opening new pathways to agriculture.”
Technical assistance consists of helping farmers with financials, business planning, record keeping, regulations, land access, marketing, applying for state and federal programs, and/or other farm business needs.
Emerging farmers include farmers who are American Indian or Alaskan Natives, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, members of a community of color, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, or any other emerging farmers as determined by the commissioner of agriculture.
Applications for the grant are due by June 26, 2023, at 8 a.m. The RFA will award $540,000 in one-time grants through a competitive review process, with a maximum award amount of $100,000 and a minimum award amount of $10,000. Decisions are expected in July 2023.
For more information and to access the application materials, visit the Emerging Farmer Technical Assistance Grant webpage.
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
Anhydrous ammonia is regulated by the USDOT under CFR Title 49
Anhydrous Ammonia is regulated by the United Stat
April 12, 2023
The Rural Finance Authority (RFA) Board has declared an emergency for all 87 counties in the State of Minnesota in response to this winter’s excessive snow and winds. This makes zero-interest Disaster Recovery Loans available for Minnesota farmers whose operations have sustained physical property damage or loss of livestock since January 2023.
“The RFA Board’s declaration is an important step in helping Minnesota farmers affected by the extreme weather we’ve experienced this winter,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “I encourage those who have endured damages to explore these zero-interest loans, especially if you were not insured or were underinsured.”
The Disaster Recovery Loan Program offers affordable financing to clean up, repair, or replace farm structures and replace livestock that may have been destroyed due to high winds and the weight of snow, sleet, and ice this year. The funds are available to farmers for expenses not covered by insurance.
Eligible farmers will work with their local lender to secure the loans from the RFA.
More information, including full eligibility requirements, can be found on the Disaster Recovery Loan Program webpage.
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
You are the first line of defense.
Crops grown at the 160-acre site are in a four-year rotation.
