Grants Available to Support Minnesota Livestock Operations
Farmers and ranchers eligible for over $1 million in funding
Minnesota livestock farmers and ranchers looking to improve their operations can now apply for over $1 million in funding currently available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Agriculture Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Livestock Investment Grant program.
The AGRI Livestock Investment Grant provides funds to be used for equipment purchases, physical improvements, and acquisition of facilities to assist in starting, improving, or expanding livestock operations within Minnesota. Applicants may apply for an award of up to 10% of a project’s total cost, with grants ranging in size from $400 to $25,000.
Eligible projects include but are not limited to buildings or facilities for raising livestock, watering systems, fencing, feed equipment, and waste management equipment. This round of funding will prioritize projects relating to beginning farmers and farms owned or principally operated by beginning farmers (those who have farmed 10 years or less), generational transitions, production of livestock for kosher or halal markets, and robotic milking equipment.
Applicants must be the principal operator of a livestock operation in Minnesota that produces and sells at least $1,000 of livestock products annually or normally would sell at least $1,000 of livestock products in a typical year.
Only expenses incurred after the grant contract has been signed by all parties are eligible for reimbursement. The MDA expects to have contracts to grantees by March 1, 2025.
Applications for the grant will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Thursday, November 14, 2024, through the MDA’s online application portal. Full grant eligibility and application details can be found on the AGRI Livestock Investment Grant webpage.
Funding for the Livestock Investment Grant is made available through the MDA’s AGRI Program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout Minnesota to advance the states agricultural and renewable energy sectors.

Permits still available for Lake Bemidji State Park youth deer hunt Oct. 18-20
Permits are available for the Oct. 18-20 youth hunt at Lake Bemidji State Park. This firearms hunt is open to youth ages 12 to 15. Youth must be accompanied by an adult mentor over the age 18. Mentors may not carry firearms.
The youth hunter must have a firearms safety certificate and purchase a youth hunt license. The hunt is either sex with a bag limit of two deer. Hunters at this special hunt may only possess and use nontoxic ammunition. Any projectile containing lead is prohibited, including lead ammunition plated with a nontoxic material. More details can be found in the 2024 hunting regulations.
Participating in the youth hunt does not prevent a youth from hunting in the regular season, although harvested deer do count against the youth’s annual bag limit.
Youth hunters interested in participating in the hunt must call the park at 218-308-2300 and provide the following information: first name, middle name, last name, street address, city, state, zip, phone; age on Oct. 18; and name of adult mentor. Mandatory orientation will be held in the visitor center at Lake Bemidji State Park at 6 p.m. on Oct. 17.
Camping is available at the park. The bathrooms will be closed for the season, but vault toilets and water are available. Camping is $24 per night for nonelectric and $34 per night for electric campsites. Four camper cabins are also available ($85/night) and reservations are required. Reservations can be made on the DNR website opens in a new browser tab.
State park permits ($7 daily or $35 year-round) are required to park in any designated area of the park while hunting. Permits can be purchased online or at the park’s ranger station.
For more information, call Shannon Bungart, Lake Bemidji State Park assistant supervisor, at 218-308-2329.

Check for invasive species when removing docks, equipment for seasonal storage
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds lake property owners to carefully check boats and trailers, docks and lifts, and all other water-related equipment for invasive species when removing equipment for seasonal storage.
Several zebra mussel confirmations in recent years were initially reported by property owners and lake service providers removing docks, boats and boat lifts.
“This is a good time of year for people to check for invasive species when taking equipment out of the water, because animals like zebra mussels attach to surfaces like docks, lifts and boat hulls that have been in the water over the summer,” DNR Invasive Species Unit Supervisor Kelly Pennington said.
Whether pulling equipment directly onto shore for the winter or transporting it on the road to a storage location, it is important for equipment owners to take steps to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.