Recent $200 million grant from the EPA generating high amount of interest across Minnesota
Businesses and nonprofits in Minnesota have shown strong interest in a recent $200 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aimed at cutting greenhouse gases from the state’s food systems.
"Since the climate-smart food systems initiative was announced in July 2024, we've heard from farmers, food processors, local governments, and community-based food organizations who are excited to get this work started," said MPCA Climate Director Kate Knuth. "Across the state, momentum is growing to reduce pollution, build innovative businesses, create jobs, fight hunger, and support the health and well-being of all Minnesotans."
The Minnesota climate-smart food systems grant comes from the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program and will be used by the MPCA to fund a series of initiatives designed to create more climate-smart food systems in Minnesota. Key elements of the project include:
- supporting climate-smart farming practices by expanding Minnesota’s successful Agricultural Water Quality Certification and Soil Health Financial Assistance programs
- accelerating the transition to cleaner refrigerants in small businesses, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, food banks, and corner stores
- electrifying the vehicles and equipment we use to use to grow and transport our food
- scaling up successful food waste prevention programs that keep valuable nutrients in circulation to feed people and livestock and prevent significant methane emissions
- protecting and restoring 10,000 acres of peatlands in Minnesota, which absorb and store climate pollution
- coordinating with Tribal governments and low-income and disadvantaged communities to improve food security and strengthen food sovereignty
The grant is one of 25 EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grants totaling $4.3 billion. The grants are expected to cut as much as 971 million metric tons of greenhouse gases by 2050, according to EPA estimates.
Climate-smart food systems webinar
MPCA held a webinar on Oct. 10 to share more information about how this initiative aims to reduce climate pollution, advance economic opportunity, fight hunger, and support the health and wellbeing of all Minnesotans and future generations.
When announcing the grants, EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore said the climate-smart food systems grant will help Minnesota fight climate change, safeguard public health, and grow its economy by decarbonizing the state’s food system across agricultural, industrial and waste sectors, ultimately “building a greener, cleaner, healthier future for all Minnesotans.”
The MPCA is currently working on a rollout for the grants and will soon ask for feedback on how the grants should be distributed.
The MPCA will manage the climate-smart food systems grant, which also provides funding to Minnesota-based tribes and to several other state entities including the Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Health, and Board of Water and Soil Resources.
