Minnesota Launches $6.6 Million Electric Farm Equipment Grant

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) launched the 2026 Electric Farm Equipment Grant program to help farmers and agricultural organizations purchase electric equipment and supporting charging infrastructure. The program is designed to reduce air pollution, particularly emissions from diesel-powered farm machinery, while supporting the transition toward cleaner agricultural operations.

The grant program will provide approximately $6.6 million in funding through a competitive application process. Funding availability depends on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) making funds available to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), which will then provide funding to the MDA.

Eligible applicants include principal operators of farming or livestock operations in Minnesota, business entities authorized to operate farms or livestock businesses in the state, and organizations that provide training or support services to Minnesota farmers.

Projects funded through the program must involve the purchase of electric farm equipment for use on Minnesota farms or by farmer-supporting organizations. Eligible projects cannot begin until a grant contract agreement has been fully executed and reached its official start date. All projects must be completed by June 30, 2028.

Eligible expenses include the purchase of electric agricultural equipment used for production, harvesting, processing, and other farming activities. Grants can also cover the cost of purchasing and installing electrical infrastructure needed to charge and operate electric farm equipment.

The program will provide grants ranging from $1,500 to $150,000 per project. The MDA expects to award more than 90 grants, although the final number will depend on the size of individual awards.

Grant agreements are expected to begin in January 2027 and continue through June 2028, with possible extensions considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applications for the Electric Farm Equipment Grant must be submitted by 4 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. Applicants must review the 2026 Electric Farm Equipment Grant Request for Proposals, which outlines eligibility requirements, program priorities, and scoring criteria.

Each eligible entity may submit only one application. Applicants must create an account through the MDA’s online application system, select the “2026 Electric Farm Equipment Grant” option, and submit their completed application before the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted.

The program timeline began on May 20, 2026, when the application period opened. The deadline for submitting questions was July 24, 2026, at 4 p.m. CT. Applications will undergo a two-phase review process from August through September 2026, including pre-award risk assessments. Applicants will be notified of decisions in October 2026, with grant contracting beginning afterward. Projects are expected to start January 1, 2027, with grantees publicly announced during winter 2027.

The Electric Farm Equipment Grant is funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program, awarded to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency under assistance agreement 66.046. The funding was authorized through Section 60114 of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

The MDA’s grant guidelines allow funding for several types of electrical upgrades required to support electric farm equipment. Eligible improvements may include replacing outdated electrical outlets and fuses, upgrading farm electrical systems, installing wiring to equipment storage areas, and making other infrastructure improvements necessary for charging or powering approved equipment.

Applicants may request funding for multiple pieces of electric farm equipment and related charging infrastructure within a single application. However, all requested equipment must be connected to agricultural purposes. Equipment powered by fossil-fuel generators or other fossil-fuel-based onsite electricity generation systems is not eligible.

The program allows applicants to combine grant funding with other incentive programs, but reimbursement will only cover the actual amount paid by the grantee. For example, if equipment costs $10,000 and another incentive reduces the purchase price by $1,000, the grant can only reimburse the remaining $9,000 paid by the applicant. Equipment purchases cannot include costs already covered through other federal grant funding.

Electric farm equipment must be commercially available and ready for purchase from a vendor. The program does not support research, development, or retrofitting of equipment. Both new and used electric equipment may qualify, provided the equipment is operational at purchase. Repair costs are not eligible, and grantees are responsible for long-term maintenance, operation, and repair requirements.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says the program represents a step toward reducing agricultural emissions while helping farmers adopt cleaner technologies that can improve sustainability and energy efficiency on farms across the state.