ST PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture's new grant program will offer qualified farmers up to $15,000 in dollar-for-dollar funding to purchase farmland.
“Farming is a part of Minnesota’s identity, and a significant component of our economy. We want every Minnesotan to have an opportunity to explore a career in farming,” said Governor Walz in a release. “These funds will help remove obstacles facing Minnesotans looking to get into farming, and help foster the next generation of farmers in Minnesota.”
MDA’s Rural Finance Authority will distribute the funds using a first-come, first-served application process beginning Jan. 4, 2023.
The Minnesota legislature appropriated $500,000 in fiscal year 2023 for the grants. The RFA expects between 30 to 40 grants to be distributed in the program’s first cycle, according to a release.
“Farmers must be Minnesota residents who will earn less than $250,000 annually in gross agricultural sales and plan on providing the majority of the day-to-day physical labor on the farm for at least five years,” according to the statement.
Additionally, applicants must not have previous direct or indirect farmland ownership.
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