AGRI Livestock Investment Grant

The AGRI Livestock Investment Grant, administered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), is designed to support long-term development in the state’s livestock sector. Funded under Minn. Stat. 41A.12 and 17.118, this competitive grant program provides reimbursement funding to Minnesota livestock farmers and ranchers aiming to modernize, improve, or expand their livestock operation infrastructure and equipment. The FY26 application period closes at 4 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, November 13, 2025. Total available funding is approximately $1.4 million, with awards ranging from $400 to a maximum of $25,000. Contracts are expected to begin March 1, 2026, and all project expenses must occur between that date and December 31, 2028. Key changes for FY26 include expanded eligibility for applicants and livestock types. Applicants must be Minnesota residents, business entities authorized to farm in the state, or Tribal governments. They must be the principal operator of a livestock operation producing at least $1,000 annually in livestock products. Livestock types now eligible include, but are not limited to, beef and dairy cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, horses, bison, aquaculture species, farmed cervids, ratites, mules, and llamas. Grant funding is provided on a reimbursement basis with a sliding scale: 50% of the first $20,000 in eligible expenses, followed by 25% reimbursement for remaining eligible expenses, up to a total grant amount of $25,000. Matching funds must come from non-state grant sources, including cash, loans, or liquid assets. Reimbursed expenses must align with capital investments such as livestock barns, fencing, watering systems, robotic milking equipment, pasture development, and waste management equipment. Ineligible expenses include livestock purchases, land, feed, seed, labor wages, debt refinancing, and any expenses incurred before contract execution. Projects must begin after the grant agreement is fully executed and completed within three years. Priority will be given to beginning farmers (farming ≤10 years), generational transitions, projects involving kosher/halal livestock production, robotic milking, and applicants who have not previously received a Livestock Investment Grant. The evaluation process includes review of project readiness, budget clarity, farm safety, environmental impact, market potential, and participation in farm management programs. Applications must be submitted online, with new users required to create an account. All applicants will be notified of grant status by February 1, 2026. Incomplete applications or those received after the deadline will not be reviewed. Questions must be submitted by November 6, 2025. Grantees are expected to submit annual reports until project completion and maintain documentation of all expenditures. All selected projects must credit MDA funding in public communications and adhere to state bidding and data privacy regulations. This grant advances the goals of the AGRI program to strengthen Minnesota’s agricultural industry by supporting infrastructure modernization, market expansion, and long-term resilience in livestock farming operations.

Use budget template, plan matching funds, avoid ineligible expenses, verify authorization to farm.