Matt Doll, Minnesota Environmental Partnership
Last week, the US EPA announced that Minnesota will receive close to $200 million in federal dollars for a major climate action initiative, the Minnesota Climate-Smart Food Systems project.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is the proposer and administrator of the project, which will focus on decarbonizing agriculture and food systems.
Where the money comes from
This funding is part of an almost $5 billion package of agency climate grants created by the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris Administration’s signature climate law. The MPCA’s bid for funding was one of almost 300 applications nationwide, and one of only 25 that were selected.
That choice makes good sense: if the EPA wants to make an impact on agriculture emissions, Minnesota is the perfect place to use its dollars. We have the nation’s fifth-largest agricultural sector by revenue and half our land is used for farming. The state is also a center for agricultural companies, technology, and research, especially at the University of Minnesota.
Agriculture is also one of our biggest problem points for our climate and environment. The agriculture and land use sector is our second-largest source of greenhouse gasses, below transportation and above electricity. While forests offset some of these emissions, farm-based emissions of climate pollutants like nitrous oxide and methane have risen over the past two decades.
Where the money will go
In their application, the MPCA outlined the following key areas that the Climate-Smart Food Systems project will target:
Accelerate the transition to climate-friendly refrigerants for food storage. Food refrigeration and air conditioners often rely on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a category of gasses that have no direct impact on the ozone layer and are great for keeping things cool, but are also powerful heat trappers. HFCs can have a greenhouse gas effect over 14,000 times that of the same volume of carbon dioxide. This plank of the project will focus on switching to alternatives to the most heat-trapping HFCs.
Strengthen Tribal food sovereignty by providing funding to support planning and implementation of projects within Tribal communities that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions while building local food economies. There are 11 federally-recognized Indigenous tribes in Minnesota, most of which are based in rural areas. The ability to grow, hunt, and harvest local food is of enormous importance to the health and culture of these tribes, as is doing so with a positive impact on land, water, and climate. Learn more.
Assist with the transition of gasoline and diesel vehicles and equipment used in food systems to electric and advanced clean fuels, which will improve air quality in low-income communities. Transitioning gasoline- and diesel-powered equipment in food systems to electric models is a no-brainer. Electric equipment produces no carbon emissions during its use and avoids polluting the surrounding air with particulates, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide. Vehicles that stop and start frequently are especially prime candidates for electrification as they use little energy when they are operating but not moving.
That said, we will be watching closely to see what the MPCA regards as “advanced clean fuels.” There are promising prospects of fuel sources, such as winter oilseeds, that are truly beneficial for land, water, and climate. But hydrogen is more of a mixed bag, and conventional ethanol is more trouble for the climate and our natural resources than it’s worth. We hope to see the MPCA stick to true climate solutions for this part of the project.
Protect and restore 10,000 acres of degraded peatlands by converting them into carbon sinks which will also support culturally significant food sources. Minnesota’s peatlands and wetlands are an incredible resource for the planet, absorbing enormous amounts of carbon that would otherwise end up in the atmosphere. Restoring degraded peatlands will help put them back to work for the climate while also providing high quality habitat for native species.
We hope the MPCA will also consider how to protect Minnesota’ existing carbon sinks. Projects like the recently-built Line 3 pipeline have had negative impacts on Minnesota wetlands, as would unbuilt projects like the sulfide ore mines proposed for Northern Minnesota. The MPCA and DNR issued permits to Line 3 and the PolyMet mine despite these impacts. We hope the need for carbon sinks will help them choose more wisely in the future.
Expand food waste diversion programs to keep valuable nutrients in circulation to feed people and livestock while simultaneously reducing methane emissions. This plank of the project will act to clean up both the agriculture and waste sectors. While waste, including methane from landfills, only contributes about 1% of Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions, it’s a serious environmental justice issue, contributing to pollution from incinerators and landfills. The project aims to significantly reduce and recycle waste to remove it from these harmful destinations.
What should come next
$200 million is a great step for Minnesota’s climate efforts, and we applaud the MPCA for seeking and winning this federal support. But it’s a small amount given the scope of the sector we wish to change: Minnesota’s agricultural economy is worth more than $100 billion, and changing it will take plenty of resources and political will.
Getting to zero emissions will require rethinking the way we farm and the crops we grow. Business as usual – growing predominantly corn and soybeans and nothing else on the land, for example – has to change. Emerging living cover crops like perennials and winter annuals can help reduce the climate and environmental impact of the way we farm. We should also start seeing corn ethanol like oil: as a technology to be phased out, not reinvested in.
MEP looks forward to seeing how the MPCA invests this funding in Minnesota climate action. We’ll continue advocating for ever greater action to transform the way we use land for the better.