Bill > SF3386

This bill appropriates $300,000 ($150,000 in fiscal years 2026 and 2027) from the state's general fund to the Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture for a grant to the Women's Environmental Institute to develop a farming incubator project specifically targeting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers. The project aims to increase equitable access to food production, affordable land, and organic farming skills. The grant funding will be used for multiple purposes, including providing direct grants to farmers with limited land access to cover expenses like land rental, seeds, equipment, and marketing costs; funding administrative and recruitment efforts; hiring a project coordinator; developing farming infrastructure; providing production supplies and equipment; and offering education in regenerative organic farming methods such as food safety, farm finances, soil health, and marketing. At least one-third of the funding must be allocated to communities outside the seven-county metropolitan area. This is a one-time appropriation available until June 30, 2028, and will become effective immediately after final enactment.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF3386&ssn=0&y=2025