Demand Outpaces Funding for Minnesota Soil Health Grant

Minnesota Department of Agriculture awarded 81 Soil Health Financial Assistance Grants totaling more than $2.35 million to individual producers, producer groups, and local governments to purchase or retrofit soil health equipment. The grants will provide up to 50% cost-share for equipment and parts, up to a cap of $50,000. The most common types of equipment noted in the grant awards were no-till drills and strip tillage equipment. Interest far outpaced available funding: MDA received 284 applications for $8.4 million—more than three times the money in this round of grants. “Given the amount of interest in this program, we see Minnesota farmers want to invest in healthy soils that provide important benefits to water quality and our other natural resources,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Specialized equipment and machinery can be a financial barrier for most producers trying to implement soil health practices. Yet we can offset costs through the Soil Health Financial Assistance Grant, helping to expand the number of Minnesota farmers and acres engaged in soil health activities.” Applications for the next round of the Soil Health Financial Assistance Grant will open in August.