Emerging Farmers Grants Announced by MDA 

As part of a continued effort to strengthen support available to Minnesota’s emerging farmers, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture has announced recipients of grant funding for organizations that provide business and technical support to farmers from historically underserved communities.

Through the Emerging Farmer Technical Assistance Grant Program eight organizations have received a total of $554,920 in one-time grants. Grant funds can be used to provide technical and culturally appropriate services to emerging farmers, and to pay up to 65% of emerging farmer’s premium expenses. 

Forty percent of funding will to farmers supported by these organizations in the form of scholarships, stipends, mileage reimbursements, and crop insurance premium payments.

The following organizations received funding. 

AgCentric

Farm Commons

Forty Acre Cooperative

Friendly Hmong Farms

Kilimo Minnesota

Land Stewardship Project

MN Farmers’ Market Association

Renewing the Countryside

Emerging farmers include farmers who are American Indian, Alaskan Natives, African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, or any other emerging farmers as determined by the commissioner of agriculture.