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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 Aug. 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 Aug. 1. Applications are due Aug. 30. Awards will be announced by Jan. 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.