Earlier today, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture announced $4 million in grant funding is available under the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Biofuels Infrastructure program, which is geared towards increasing availability of Unleaded 88 and higher blends of ethanol. The program is funded through a legislative appropriation with additional support from Minnesota Corn.
Under the AGRI grant program, applicants must have no more than 20 retail stations in Minnesota and may seek between $5,000 and $199,000 for an individual project. The applicant must commit to 35 percent of the total project costs.
Applications are due by 4 pm on Oct 23, 2025.
In 2024, MDA made $3.37 million in grant funding available under the AGRI biofuels infrastructure program.
There are over 500 stations in Minnesota that offer Unleaded 88, also known as E15. In the first five months of 2025, a total of 57.83 million gallons of Unleaded 88 was sold in Minnesota.
With an average price savings of 14 cents a gallon during that period, Unleaded 88 saved Minnesotans $8.09 million at the pump.
Retailers interested in applying for the current round of AGRI grants or receiving assistance in navigating the application process are encouraged to contact MDA.