Grants open to help new farms

Applications are now being accepted for a new grant program to support Minnesotans purchasing their first farms. The Down Payment Assistance Grant program is managed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and offers dollar-for-dollar matching up to $15,000 for qualified small-farmers to purchase farmland.

The MDA’s Rural Finance Authority (RFA) is awarding this funding in a first come, first served application process that opened Jan. 4. The Minnesota Legislature appropriated $500,000 in Fiscal Year 2023 for these grants. Farmers must be Minnesota residents who will earn less than $2...