Cities in Minnesota may enact ordinances requiring Minnesota Department of Agriculture licensed commercial and noncommerci
July 24, 2024
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
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INSTRUCTIONS
Application Part A—Farmer Information
Complete the farmer information section and answer the yes/no eligibility and demographic questions using the definitions below. Note: Applicant name must match the purchaser of the land. Married couples may only complete one combined application.
Definitions
Minnesota Resident means the applicant has established a permanent home within Minnesota’s borders and has no present intention of moving outside the state.
Good Standing with the State of Minnesota:
- No back taxes owed.
- No defaults on Minnesota State-backed financing for the last seven years.
- Acceptable performance on past MDA grants.
- Compliant with current state regulations.
Direct Ownership is when an individual is the direct owner of farmland, shareholder in an operation that includes farmland, or the beneficiary of a life estate that includes farmland. Indirect Ownership is any interest or traceable interest in farmland.
Family is considered a person who is related by blood or marriage to the applicant or applicant's spouse. To be eligible for this grant, an applicant cannot purchase farmland from a family member, which includes any person or entity owned by a person within three degrees of relation to the applicant or applicant's spouse.
Application Part B – Purchase Information
Complete the farmland purchase information section with as many details as you have for the land you intend to purchase. If you do not have some of this information, you may leave questions blank; however, you will need to be prepared with all this information and close on your farmland purchase within six months if your application is approved. If your grant application is approved, you will also need to provide copies of:
- Purchase agreement
- Schedule F or signed statement claiming no farm sales to report
- Loan estimates or other proof of secured financing
- Other documentation required as needed to ensure the applicant qualifies for this program
The MDA will award these grants using a random lottery process, with priority given to eligible applicants with no more than $100,000 in annual gross farm product sales and eligible applicants who are producers of industrial hemp, cannabis, or specialty crops. Complete grant RFP eligibility, rules, and instructions is available on the program website.
Privacy Notice: The information provided by an applicant will be used to assess the applicant’s eligibility to receive a Down Payment Assistance Grant from the MDA. The decision to apply for this grant is voluntary, and applicants are not legally required to provide any of the requested information. Applicants may decline to complete this application without any legal consequence. However, only completed applications will be considered for a grant; incomplete applications will not be considered.
Access to private or nonpublic data provided as part of this application is limited to those authorized by law, including but not necessarily limited to MDA staff and contractors with a valid work assignment to access the data, parties authorized by the applicant, parties identified in a valid court order or federal subpoena, Minnesota Management and Budget, Minnesota Department of Administration, the state auditor, and the legislative auditor. If necessary, the MDA may also share the data with law enforcement or the Office of the Attorney General.
