
The EPA grant will be used to focus on removing greenhouse gases from Minnesota’s food systems
MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler today joined Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. EPA Region 5 Administrator Debrah Shore, and state leaders to announce a $200 million grant to cut climate pollution from Minnesota’s food systems.
“Minnesota is bringing forth real solutions to the climate crisis,” Kessler said. “This is an investment that will transform food systems for generations to come.”
The 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.
Walz praised the project as one of many efforts to address climate change in the state.
“Minnesota has consistently been a leader in climate solutions,” he said. “From clean energy to sustainable agriculture, our climate goals are ensuring a healthier, safer state. Today, we’re celebrating another significant milestone in this journey. With the EPA’s help, we are creating a food system that nourishes Minnesotans while reducing waste and climate pollution.”
According to Shore, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, created out of the Inflation Reduction Act, proved to be a highly competitive process. Out of 300 applications for the grants, just 25 — totaling more than $4.3 billion — were selected. The grants are expected to cut as much as 971 million metric tons of greenhouse gases by 2050, according to EPA estimates.
“The Biden-Harris administration is delivering unprecedented funding and resources to help Minnesota fight climate change, safeguard public health and grow its economy,” Shore said. “EPA congratulates Gov. Walz for his leadership and innovative plans to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions by decarbonizing the state’s food system across agricultural, industrial and waste sectors, to building a greener, cleaner, healthier future for all Minnesotans.”

Kessler and Walz made the announcement while touring New Hope-based The Food Group, a nonprofit that works to build food networks across the Twin Cities by supporting emerging and immigrant farmers and by selling healthy food through its mobile markets — converted school buses with shelves instead of seats that visit dozens of food deserts in the metro area every week.
“We cannot talk about a just and equitable food system without talking about climate-smart policies and programs,” said Sophia Lenarz-Coy, executive director of The Food Group. “The Food Group is proud to be part of Minnesota's collaborative and committed community providing food for today and change for tomorrow and we are eager to see this funding in action.”
The MPCA will manage the 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.