Contact: Mary Juhl; (651)-215-9008
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) will offer funding to Minnesota’s soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) to support the implementation of soil health practices. A total of $3 million will be available.
Soil Health Delivery Funds support conservation practices that can boost soil health, such as no-till farming, planting cover crops and rotational grazing. These practices can help improve crop productivity and make farms more resilient to erosion and extreme weather events. Soil health is a state priority to accomplish water quality and landscape resiliency goals.
“This funding will help make an impact where it matters most — at the local level,” BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke said. “Supporting Minnesota farmers who choose to adapt their operational systems to incorporate soil health principles is key to seeing systematic, large-scale conservation and productivity benefits over time.”
BWSR is engaging all Minnesota SWCDs in a Request for Interest (RFI) process that opened today and closes Jan. 5 to help refine funding needs within each county. Learn more about the RFI process.
These Soil Health Delivery Funds are one piece of BWSR’s long-term approach to supporting soil health programs statewide. BWSR soil health initiatives fund local efforts including outreach and education, technical assistance and conservation practice implementation.