[Moorhead, Minn.] — Senator Rob Kupec (DFL-Moorhead) is inviting new farmers to take advantage of the Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant Program, a program that will provide up to $20,000 in reimbursement for Minnesotans who are just starting out in the agriculture industry.
“Agriculture is the industry that drives Minnesota’s economy and the economy of communities in every corner of our state, but it can be an expensive endeavor for those just starting out,” said Sen. Kupec, who serves as Vice-Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee. “This program is a great way for people to get a new farm off the ground by helping reimburse them for some of those big ticket items and upgrades to get started. I encourage anyone interested in farming to apply.”
The Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant program offers up to $20,000 for beginning farmers in Minnesota to make investments in their farm’s equipment and infrastructure. The intent of this grant program is to support new farmers in Minnesota to access equipment and develop infrastructure that will be crucial to the future of their farm business.
Through this grant, beginning farmers will be able to pay for:
- Farm equipment
- Farm infrastructure development such as investments in water access, irrigation, fencing, electricity, walk-in coolers, production-related structures such as livestock buildings and greenhouses, and other farm infrastructure.
Applicants may request funds at two levels:
- up to $5,000 for a mini-grant or
- up to $20,000 for a full grant.
The minimum request allowed is $1,000.
Applications for this new program opened on Tuesday, September 24 and will be open until Thursday, November 21.
More information about the program, including eligibility requirements, and details about how to apply are available here: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/beginning-farmer-grant.
Minnesota Senate press release
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