The Job Development Authority (JDA) and the Dunn County Board approved a set of changes to the Young Farmers grant program intended to tighten eligibility and emphasize local economic impact.

Key elements: Carrie, representing the JDA, told the board the panel recommended keeping the age eligibility at 18 to 40, requiring applications to be for project- and materials-specific purchases (no retroactive reimbursements for previously bought items), and giving preference to first-time applicants and purchases made locally or in adjacent counties.

Funding approach: The JDA recommended budgeting annually 1.5% of the county auditor’s estimated gross production tax (GPT) for the coming year as the program’s funding ceiling. Carrie gave an example: if GPT were estimated at $20,000,000 the 1.5% guideline would allocate $300,000 to the program that year.

Application limits and follow-up: The board discussed application frequency, and the JDA recommended allowing applicants up to 10 applications (for example, once per year over ten years) with monitoring requirements so recipients show continued agricultural activity. The JDA said of 58 applicants in a recent cycle, 46 purchased locally by the committee’s definition (adjacent-county purchases counted as local for these rules).

Action and vote: The board voted to accept the JDA’s recommendations. Commissioners present voted in favor on roll call.

Why it matters: The revisions prioritize local economic benefit and verification of agricultural activity while creating a predictable budgeting mechanism tied to the county’s GPT estimate; staff said local purchases help strengthen the local multiplier effect and that the policy aims to encourage sustainable entry for young producers.

Ending: The JDA will provide annual reports on reimbursements and local economic impacts as requested; the board asked staff to work with the auditor to implement the 1.5% budgeting guideline during the next budget cycle.