Grants Available to Help Increase Minnesota Agricultural Product Sales

Applications due October 23 for two MDA opportunities

St. Paul, MN: Applications are now being accepted for two grant opportunities currently available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) aimed at helping value-added businesses and livestock product processors seeking to start up, modernize, or expand their operations and increase ag product sales.

The Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Value-Added Grant and Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing (MPEM) Grant programs provide funding for businesses to invest in equipment and physical improvement projects that support expanding production capacity, market diversification, and market access for their products.

Applicants must:

• Intend to or currently be engaged in the processing of Minnesota agricultural products; or intend to or currently be engaged with livestock slaughter or processing, including meat, poultry, egg, and/or milk.
• Be an individual (including farmers), business, agricultural cooperative, nonprofit, educational institution, or a local unit of government (including tribal governments).
• Currently be located or reside in Minnesota and be authorized to conduct business in Minnesota.

The MDA anticipates awarding approximately $2.5 million between the two programs in fiscal year 2025 using a competitive review process. The maximum award amount for both grants is $150,000, and the minimum is $1,000. Grantees are responsible for a cash match of 50% for the first $50,000 of the total project cost, and 75% for the total remaining cost.

Priority projects for this round of funding include those that will increase food safety; increase hemp fiber processing capacity; increase access to kosher or halal markets; and focus on meat or poultry processing capacity, especially slaughtering.

Grant applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, through the MDA’s online application system. Funding for both programs will be awarded in one round, with decisions expected in December 2024.

For more information and to apply, visit the AGRI Value-Added Grant and Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant webpages.

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