ST. PAUL, Minn. — Applications are now open for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) new Soil Health Financial Assistance Pilot Program soil health equipment grants.
These grants are available to individual producers, producer groups, 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 $50,000. A total of $475,000 is available for the Soil Health Financial Assistance Pilot Program soil health equipment grants.
“We recognize that building soil health is important to water quality and our other natural resources in Minnesota,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Implementing soil health practices on farms, however, often requires specialized, expensive equipment and machinery. The Soil Health Financial Assistance Pilot Program will help offset equipment costs, helping to expand the number of farmers and acres engaged in soil health activities.”
Examples of eligible new or used equipment include, but are not limited to, no-till drills, air seeders, highboys, variable-rate equipment, retrofit projects to allow no-till planting, and more. Parts and materials used to retrofit existing equipment are also eligible.
The Request for Proposals and application link can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/soil-health-grant. Applications are due March 20, 2023.
Minnesota’s soil health efforts tie into the work of the State Water Plan, Nutrient Reduction Strategy, emission reduction targets, Climate Action Framework, and other objectives.
— Minnesota Department of Agriculture
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
PIERRE, S.D. – Today [June 23, 2022], the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) announced the Board of Water and Natural Resources has approved $243,789,728 in grants and loans for drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste projects in South Dakota. The $243,789,728 total includes $118,691,165 in grants and $125,098,563 in low-interest loans […]
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) announced the Board of Water and Natural Resources has approved $98,703,620 in grants and loans for drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste projects in South Dakota. The $98,703,620 total includes $73,634,334 in grants and $25,069,286 in low-interest loans to be administered […]
PIERRE, S.D. – Today [April 13, 2022], the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) announced the Board of Water and Natural Resources has approved $160,463,900 in grants and loans for drinking water and wastewater projects in southeast South Dakota. These awards are part of more than $1.1 billion in statewide awards approved […]
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded nearly $2.9 million in 2021 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grants (SCBG) to 24 recipients across Minnesota. The grant program aims to boost the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in Minnesota through marketing and promotion, research, and development, expanding availability and access, and addressing challenges […]
