Funding Available to Assist with Sustainable Agriculture Research

Applications are due December 12, 2024

St. Paul, MN: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for grants to support innovative sustainability-focused research or demonstration projects on Minnesota farms.

The Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant funds projects that explore the energy efficiency, environmental benefit, and profitability of sustainable ag techniques, from the production through marketing processes. Minnesota farmers or individuals from organizations including agricultural cooperatives, educational institutions, nonprofits, tribal governments, and local units of government (such as Soil and Water Conservation Districts) are eligible to apply.

Eligible projects must test and demonstrate on-farm practices that will benefit a broad range of farmers. Past grants have explored topics such as cover crops and crop rotation; conservation tillage; pest management techniques; input reduction strategies; and alternative energies such as wind, methane, and biomass.

The MDA will award approximately $350,000 in this round of grant funding, and applicants may request up to $50,000 per project. No cash match is required for requests below $25,000. However, for requests between $25,000 and $50,000, applicants must provide a dollar-for-dollar match.

Projects must last two to three years, and grantees are asked to share what they learn through outreach efforts. Project updates are published annually in the MDA’s Greenbook, which provides a summary of each project along with results, management tips, locations of previous projects, and other resources.

The AGRI Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant program will accept applications through 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, 2024. To apply and read the full request for proposals (RFP), visit the grant webpage.

Funding for this grant is made available through the MDA’s AGRI Program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout Minnesota to advance the state’s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.

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