Agriculture Highlighted During Minnesota Climate Week

Climate-smart practices the focus of annual state observation

St. Paul, MN: In recognition of Minnesota Climate Week, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) celebrates the efforts and partnership of producers, ag businesses, and other stakeholders to promote the continued implementation and advancement of climate-smart agricultural practices and programs throughout the state.

“The MDA recognizes that climate change is impacting agriculture in Minnesota and around the world, with increased temperatures as well as more extreme and frequent weather events like floods and drought leading to increased challenges for our producers,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We commend the hard work of our farmers and all local, state, and federal partners to mitigate and adapt to the direct and indirect effects of a changing climate, helping ensure continued, resilient working lands and ag economies while meeting Minnesota’s climate goals.”

Today, as part of Climate Week, the MDA joined Pine Tree Apple Orchard in White Bear Lake to highlight how sustainable practices can support and strengthen local ag production. In addition to measures like hail netting to protect their apple trees (many of which are over 50 years old) from extreme weather events, the orchard enrolled in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) in the fall of 2023 and has an MAWQCP endorsement in Climate Smart Farming Practices. Additionally, as a 40-year member of the MDA’s Minnesota Grown program, their work to grow and supply local produce helps consumers cut down on the number of “food miles” their apples and strawberries might travel to their plates.

The MDA offers a number of programs to support stakeholders interested in adopting climate-smart ag practices, including:

• Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP): MAWQCP is a voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners to take the lead in implementing conservation measures that protect our water. Those who maintain approved farm management practices obtain regulatory certainty for a period of 10 years. To-date, more than 1,500 producers and over 1,100,000 acres have been Water Quality Certified in Minnesota.
• Preparing for Extreme Weather Grant: Also referred to as the Prepare Grant, this program helps Minnesota livestock and specialty crop producers buy and install supplies or equipment that will help make their operations more resilient to extreme weather events. The MDA recently awarded over $450K in grant funding to 71 grantees in 43 Minnesota counties, helping fund projects like hail protection, fans and misters for livestock, and new or upgraded wells.
• Soil Health Financial Assistance Grant: This grant program provides cost-share for the purchase and retrofit of equipment to advance soil health farming practices. In the first two rounds of funding, the MDA awarded over $2.8 million to 97 individuals and organizations across Minnesota. No-till drills, air seeders, and strip tillage equipment are among the most requested pieces of equipment. 
• Biofuels Infrastructure Grant: To promote wider use of cleaner-burning, higher-blend ethanol fuel options within the transportation sector, the MDA offers the Biofuels Infrastructure Grant program, which provides funding to gas stations upgrading their retail petroleum dispensers, fuel storage tanks, and other equipment needed to supply motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol. With the support of Minnesota Corn, the program has awarded over $9 million to 60 Minnesota retail fuel stations since its launch in 2022, with applications currently being accepted for an additional $3 million.
• Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant: This grant funds innovative on-farm research and demonstrations that explore the profitability, energy efficiency, and environmental benefits of sustainable agriculture practices or systems. Results are published annually in the MDA’s Greenbook, which provides a summary of each grant project along with management tips, locations of previous projects, and other resources to encourage wide-scale adoption. The MDA is currently accepting applications for $350K in grant funding through December 12, 2024.

The MDA was also recently awarded funding as part of the U.S. EPA’s $200 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to the state of Minnesota. Through work led by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), in collaboration with the MDA, other state agencies, and local and tribal governments, the funding will be used to cut climate pollution from Minnesota’s food systems. Specifically, the MDA will:

• Receive $20 million to expand successful initiatives including the MAWQCP and Soil Health Financial Assistance program to support farmers adopting climate-friendly practices, such as the use of controlled-release fertilizers, transition from row crops to perennials, and no-till farming.
• The MDA will also work with the MPCA to invest $6.7 million in the replacement and upgrading of vehicles and equipment that are used to grow and transport our food, such as tractors and freight trucks, to switch to using cleaner-burning fuels. 

The goals and actions highlighted above all work to support the goals and action steps outlined in Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework.  

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