Beginning & Emerging Farmer Funding

During the 2023 session of the Minnesota Legislature, the Land Stewardship Project and its allies won record funding for public programs that support farmers, conservation, and community food systems, among other things. We are now pivoting to the implementation stage to ensure these dollars and programs serve our members, as well as other small and medium-sized farmers, along with processors, farmworkers, processing workers, food businesses, farmers’ markets, and local governments, as best as possible.

Below is a listing of a few of the opportunities for beginning and emerging farmers that are available. For a complete listing and details on applying, see landstewardshipproject.org/minnesota-funding-available-2023.

3 Farmland Down Payment Assistance Program

This grant program offers up to $15,000 to qualified farmers purchasing their first farm. The Rural Finance Authority will award these grants using a random lottery process, with preference given to emerging farmers. If you are not an emerging farmer, you may still apply.

3 Beginning Farmer Tax Credit

This program provides annual state tax credits to landlords and sellers (asset owners) who rent or sell farmland, equipment, livestock, and other agricultural assets to beginning farmers. To qualify, the beginning farmer must be enrolled in or have completed an approved farm business management program within 10 years of their first year of farming. LSP’s Farm Beginnings class is an approved farm business management program. Beginning farmers are also eligible for a nonrefundable Minnesota tax credit equal to their farm business management program tuition, up to$1,500.

3 Emerging Farmer Technical Assistance Grant Organizations can apply to this program to provide technical and culturally appropriate services to Minnesota emerging farmers.