Strengthening Minnesota Agriculture: CLC Helps Advance New Irrigation Conservation Program 

Central Lakes College will play a key role in a major statewide project designed to conserve water and improve irrigation efficiency on Minnesota farms. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), in partnership with NRCS, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and educational institutions like CLC, has been awarded $11.16 million through the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  

Over the next five years, the project will provide grants and technical support to farmers across 25 counties, helping them upgrade irrigation systems, improve nitrogen management, and protect groundwater resources. More than 500 producers are expected to be directly impacted with this program and several hundred more through education programs. More than $8 million of the total funding is expected to go directly to producers for technology and equipment upgrades.  

The CLC Ag & Energy Center in Staples will serve as a training and demonstration site for the initiative. Agency personnel who work directly with farmers will receive training on new irrigation technologies, while producers and policymakers will be able to see precision irrigation systems in action.  

AgCentric, the Minnesota State Northern Agricultural Center of Excellence in Agriculture housed at CLC, will support statewide education and advocacy efforts. The center will offer tools to improve irrigation literacy, highlight career opportunities, and engage policymakers in discussions about irrigation’s importance to both the economy and farm families.  

“This irrigation program will be one of the largest economic development impacts CLC and AgCentric have had on our agriculture economy, directly influencing the progression of precision irrigation technology,” said Keith Olander, Director of AgCentric. 

The project is led by the MDA in partnership with NRCS, 26 Soil and Water Conservation Districts, CLC, AgCentric, the University of Minnesota, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and other state and industry partners.   

“This partnership with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is invaluable to MDA’s mission to preserve and protect Minnesota’s water resources,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Irrigation is critical for many of our farmers, and this funding allows us to support producers with the tools and technology they need to conserve water and improve outcomes.”  

“This project and these partners are a great example of what the Regional Conservation Partnership Program can accomplish,” said Keith Kloubec, NRCS Assistant State Conservationist for Programs. “The group’s past success has already delivered measurable impacts, and we look forward to continuing this work to increase adoption of irrigation technologies that benefit both water quality and farm sustainability.”