The AGRI Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant (SustAg) supports innovative on-farm research and demonstrations.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/17/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
SustAg projects explore sustainable agriculture practices and systems that could make farming more profitable or resource-efficient.
MDA funds projects that explore the profitability, energy efficiency, and environmental benefits of sustainable agriculture practices or systems. Project examples can include, but are not limited to:
- Increased environmental sustainability and improved soil health
- Conservation tillage and weed management
- Novel cover crops and crop rotations
- Nutrient and pesticide management, including runoff protection
- Farm-based energy efficiency or production such as wind, methane, or biomass
- Integrated pest management systems for insects, weeds, and diseases
- Seed breeding or conservation
- Livestock production systems or management strategies
- Developing or improving marketing opportunities, including season extension and post-harvest storage and handling
- Novel enterprise diversification, including organic production, using traditional and non-traditional crops and livestock
- Other creative ideas that address farm input reduction or management, conservation, energy, or profitability
- They will prioritize projects that:
- Are led by farmers.
- Benefit a wide range of farmers.
Funding Information
- MDA expects to award up to $350,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.
- You may request up to $50,000 per project. For requests between $25,000 and $50,000, you must provide a dollar-for-dollar match on the amount above $25,000.
Grant Period
Applicants should anticipate that grant periods will not extend beyond three years from the effective date of the grant contract agreement.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be a Minnesota farmer, individual at an educational institution, organization residing or located in the state for research or demonstration on farms in the state, Tribal sovereign nation, Tribal organization or educational institution, or local unit of government.
- For this program, a farmer is someone who cultivates, operates, or manages a farm for profit, and who grows or raises at least $1,000 of agricultural products for sale annually.
- Examples of eligible applicants include farms, agricultural cooperatives, educational institutions, nonprofits, Tribal governments, and local units of government (such as Soil and Water Conservation Districts).
- Be in good standing with the State of Minnesota:
- No back taxes owed.
- No defaults on Minnesota state-backed financing for the last seven years.
- Acceptable performance on past MDA grants.
- Be compliant with current state regulations.
- Not be suspended or debarred from doing business with the State of Minnesota or the federal government.
- Have no conviction of felony financial crimes for the past ten years of principals (for nongovernment and local government applicants).
For more information, visit Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
