Agricultural Climate Resiliency (ACRE) Program
Reimbursement grants help Massachusetts farms install durable equipment and infrastructure to improve soil health and resilience to extreme weather.
You can fund lasting on-farm improvements such as no-till planters, cover-crop seeders, soil monitoring equipment and protective structures for extreme weather. Capital improvements must have an expected useful life of at least five years.
The closed FY27 round covers up to 80% of project costs, with an Environmental category limit of $50,000 for established operations. Farmers operating for one to three years have a reduced limit of $10,000. You must provide at least 20% in cash; owner labour, donations and other state or federal grants cannot count as the match.
ACRE is part of the combined Climate Smart for Agriculture Program application. Soil-health and adaptation projects draw on ACRE funds; water-management projects normally draw on AEEP, and MDAR can reallocate eligible projects between funding categories. One application may include several areas, but its total request cannot exceed $150,000 for established operations or $30,000 for early-stage farmers. There is only one award per agricultural operation, identified by its tax number; using different business names does not increase the limit. MDAR will not fund the same or substantially similar activities through multiple departmental programmes.
You pay upfront and claim reimbursement for approved costs incurred during the contract. MDAR checks completion and requires payment records such as receipts, invoices and cancelled checks. Complete the approved work and submit progress and final reports as specified in the contract. Keep payment-supporting records for at least seven years starting the day after final payment, or longer if an audit, claim or other inquiry requires it, and allow access for inspection. Contract amendments must be signed by both parties. Awards may be taxable, and payments may be withheld to cover debts owed to the Commonwealth. Overpayments must be repaid or may be deducted from future payments.
Eligibility
The following requirements apply to the closed FY27 round:
- You must actively operate a Massachusetts farm producing agricultural products for sale. Normally it must have operated continuously for at least three years on the same property. Operations with one to three years of history may qualify for reduced funding if annual gross agricultural sales are at least $10,000. There is no minimum acreage. Cooperatives, nonprofits, municipalities and Tribal operations can also qualify when they meet these farming requirements.
- You need legal control of the project site for at least five years from application, with permission to carry out the work. You must meet applicable laws and obtain required permits and approvals. Marijuana-related projects are excluded.
- On land covered by an Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR), consult the APR programme before applying. Obtain, or be in advanced stages of obtaining, required approvals; resolve outstanding APR compliance or legal issues before submitting. Produce farms must register under the Produce Safety & Market Access regulation as a funding condition, including farms outside the federal Produce Safety Rule coverage.
- Costs must support new, durable capital improvements. Operating costs, farm labour, routine maintenance, used equipment, non-agricultural infrastructure, marketing, audits and feasibility studies, subscriptions, extended warranties, office equipment, vehicles, financing fees, land purchases or lease payments, permit fees and legal fees are excluded. So are new-business establishment, large compost-handling tractors/loaders, tile drainage, drones, composting toilets and septic systems. Work already started or completed before contract execution is ineligible.
- Use USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service installation standards when receiving both NRCS and MDAR funding or when MDAR requires them. New equipment and materials must meet relevant IEEE certifications, be UL listed, and have at least a one-year warranty; obtain all necessary approvals before reimbursement. Equipment must be purchased in full and owned by you by the contract deadline; it cannot be financed or leased. If the grant replaces older, inefficient equipment with more efficient equipment, take the old equipment out of use and scrap it for recycling; it cannot be resold.
How to apply
- Status
- closed
- Closes
- Round restrictions
- Closed FY27 round. Projects must be completed by 30 June 2027, with no extension.
Applications are closed. The FY27 deadline was 4 p.m. on 7 May 2026. Check MDAR’s ACRE page for future announcements.
For the FY27 round, applicants used the online Climate Smart for Agriculture application; paper and email submissions were not accepted. A separate budget for each project area and at least one vendor or contractor quote for each expenditure were required. Applicants also had to check COMMBUYS for RFR amendments or additions before submitting.
If awarded, agree the final work and budget with MDAR and sign the contract before starting. Comply with the grant contract and its approved scope of services. All FY27 work must be completed by 30 June 2027, with no extension. Reimbursement follows documentation and satisfactory completion checks.