Winter funding opportunities for fruit and vegetable farmers: grants for infrastructure, equipment, and more!

We often hear that funding is one of the biggest barriers to farming. Fruit and vegetable farms require a lot of infrastructure and equipment to get started and to scale up production. Take some time this winter to check out the following funding opportunities that can help you pay for equipment, infrastructure, and conservation initiatives. 

1. RSDP farmer climate action funding - applications due January 2. Funding available to MN farmers outside of the 7 county metro for grants up to $8,000 for "shovel-ready" projects that can be completed by December 31, 2026. This grant can cover equipment, renewable energy projects, etc. This money is super flexible and can cover things that other grants cannot. Your soil water conservation district can pay for cover crop seed, EQIP can pay for a high tunnel - what can't be covered by these programs?
2. Lakewinds Organic Field Fund provides small scholarships for infrastructure, equipment, etc. Their application will be open January 1-30 of 2026, and you can see examples of previously funded projects on their website. Projects funded last year include deer fencing, cold storage, pack shed equipment, a barn, a well, a walk behind tractor, and a self-driving GPS unit retrofitted to an older tractor! Grants are up to $8,000.
3. Mill City Next Stage Grants provides grants for projects like cold storage, wash/pack areas, deer fences, etc. Application dates are not yet listed, but these should open up over the winter. Last year grants were for up to $7,000. Projects funded last year include a mulch layer, paper pot transplanter system, wind breaks, a greenhouse, pack sheds and cold storage. To be eligible, you must sell at a farmers market in Minnesota (it does not need to be Mill City).
4. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Preparing for Extreme Weather Grant. Applications are open through January 15, 2026. The application home page mentions projects like water tanks, well improvements, irrigation equipment, mulch, cover crops, and worker safety. Grants fund up to $10,000 but require a 50% match from the farmer.
5. Connect with your local soil water conservation district! Your SWCD is available for technical assistance, and they can often pay for conservation practices like cover crops, reduced tillage, wind breaks, native plant strips, prairie plantings, and more! 
6. Natural Resource Conservation Service. In addition to the well known EQIP program to fund high tunnels, NRCS can help farmers pay for a huge range of practices on farms including wind breaks, prairie strips, irrigation upgrades, and more. Make an appointment with your local NRCS office this winter and share some of the challenges you are facing on your farm. They can help you match programs to address your concerns.