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Minnesota retail service stations looking to increase access to and sales of motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol are encouraged to apply for funding currently available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).

The Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Biofuels Infrastructure Grant Program will award up to $3.335 million in this round of funding to offset the cost of replacing or upgrading current station equipment so it can be certified as compatible with E25 or higher motor fuel blends. Examples of eligible equipment include retail petroleum dispensers and fuel storage tanks.

“As consumer demand for cleaner fuel options continues to grow, the MDA is pleased we can partner with service stations to expand their capacity for higher ethanol blends at the pump,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen.  “Biofuels offer an affordable, immediate step to meeting Minnesota’s climate goals, while supporting our farmers and rural economies.”

Applicants may request between $5,000 and $199,000 for an individual project and must commit at least 35% of the total project cost as a cash match. Grants may be expended over a three-year period and must start after mid-January 2024.

Applicants must be a retail petroleum dispenser in Minnesota with no more than 10 sites, regardless of location. Separate applications must be submitted for each site in Minnesota seeking funding.

Additional consideration will be given to businesses owned by women, members of the BIPOC community, veterans, and projects that serve communities of color, Native American tribal communities, socio-economically disadvantaged communities, and communities where access to biofuels is limited.

Funding for this 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.

Applications must be received by 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 12, 2023, to be considered for funding. Visit the AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant webpage for full eligibility and application details.

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

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Emerging Farmers’ Working Group (EFWG) has openings for eight volunteer members for two-year terms. Minnesotans interested in making it easier for new and emerging farmers to create or sustain an agricultural business are encouraged to apply now through September 23, 2023.

“The work of the Emerging Farmers’ Working Group is critically important in helping identify barriers to entering the field of agriculture and creating resources to support new and emerging farmers in our state,” said Assistant MDA Commissioner Patrice Bailey. “It will become even more so in the coming years, as we staff up our Emerging Farmers Office and build out the MDA’s emerging farmers programs.”

Your voice matters. We encourage you to become a member of the 2024-2025 Emerging Farmers' Working Group. Everyone is welcome to apply. The MDA is particularly interested in the following perspectives:

• Women
• Veterans
• Persons with a disability/disabilities
• American Indian/Alaska Native
• Member of a community of color
• LGBTQIA+
• Young (35 years old and under)
• Urban (reside in cities with 5k+ population)

The deadline to apply for EFWG membership is September 23, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. The MDA website has the membership application and more information on the EFWG page. Email your questions to the Emerging Farmer Office at mda.emerging.farmers@state.mn.us.

Thank you to our current and departing members for your participation.

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Media Contact
Larry Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6629
Larry.Schumacher@state.mn.us

Minnesota organic farmers and handlers are encouraged to apply for a rebate of up to 75% of their organic certification costs through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The Minnesota Organic Certification Cost-Share Program is now accepting applications through November 1, 2023.

Organic certification is a third-party verification system that assures consumers the organic products they buy are produced in accordance with federal organic regulations. Organic operations must follow National Organic Standards and are monitored through review of their records and on-site inspections at least once a year.

Operations that received certification (or had ongoing certification) between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023, are eligible for reimbursement of up to 75% of certification-related expenses, with a maximum of $750 per category (crop, livestock, processing/handling, and wild harvest). Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis and come from a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Interested farmers or handlers can review full program and application details on the cost-share program web page. Applicants that do not wish to apply through the MDA may apply through their local FSA Office. Questions can be directed to Cassie Dahl at Cassie.Dahl@state.mn.us or 651-201-6134.

For those transitioning a farm operation to organic, the MDA also offers the Minnesota Transition to Organic Cost-Share Program.

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