St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the fiscal year 2026 Agriculture Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Livestock Investment Grant Program. Established by the Minnesota legislature in 2008, this program helps farmers start, improve, or expand livestock operations by funding equipment purchases, facility improvements, and new construction.

Minnesota’s livestock sector is valued at over $11 billion dollars annually and accounts for 40% of the state’s agriculture sales, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s 2022 Census of Agriculture.

New this year, the AGRI Livestock Investment Grant offers expanded eligibility and significantly increases reimbursement rates. Farmers can now receive 50% reimbursement on the first $20,000 of eligible expenses and 25% on additional expenses, up to a maximum grant award of $25,000. Previously, the program capped reimbursement at 10%. These updates, enacted during the 2025 legislative session, make the grant a much stronger tool for Minnesota farmers who want to make investments in their livestock operations.

The grant does not cover livestock purchases, feed, crop seed, or debt refinancing. Full grant eligibility requirements and application details are available on the AGRI Livestock Investment Grant webpage. Applications for the grant will be accepted until 4 p.m. CT on Thursday, November 13 through the MDA’s online application portal.