New grant program to support first-time small farm purchases

State Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent) recently announced that applications are now being accepted for a new grant program to support Minnesotans purchasing their first farm.
The Down Payment Assistance Grant Program is managed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and it offers dollar-for-dollar matching up to $15,000 for qualified small farmers to purchase farmland.
“Farming is such an important industry in our area and is a way of life for many of us in Greater Minnesota,” Swedzinski said. “That said, initial costs are a major barrier for people who may be interested in purchasing a farm. This program is another tool to help people make that first-time purchase to get an operation up and running.”
The MDA’s Rural Finance Authority is awarding this funding using a first-come, first-served application process and expects to award between 30 and 40 grants in this cycle, depending on the size of requests. A second cycle of $750,000 in funding has been secured and will be made available on July 1.
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. Applicants must not have previous direct or indirect farmland ownership.
Applications will continue to be accepted until a waitlist of 100 applicants forms, or May 15, 2023, whichever comes first. The application and more details can be found by visiting www.mda.state.mn.us and entering "first-time farm purchase grant" in the search field.