The Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve Program strives to protect and improve water quality by encouraging landowners to retire environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production. The program reimburses landowners for enrolling their land in a permanent conservation easement, and then provides assistance to restore the area to grass, trees, or wetlands. Other benefits of the program include reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, enhanced fish and wildlife habitat, flood control and groundwater recharge. The program is managed on the state level by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). Locally, soil and water conservation districts (SWCD's) implement the program.

Eligible lands

Sensitive groundwater: lands where there is a significant risk of groundwater degradation from activities conducted at or near the land surface (e.g. sinkholes and areas adjacent to public supply wells).

Riparian lands: lands adjacent to public waters, drainage systems, wetlands or locally designated priority waters identified in a comprehensive local water management plan.

Wetland restoration areas: lands containing legally drained wetlands that are feasible to restore to their pre-drainage condition.

Marginal agricultural cropland: lands that are classified as highly erodible and have been cropped two of the five years prior to the date of application.

Other environmentally sensitive lands: lands such as pastured hillsides, agricultural woodlots and living snow fences, which provide protection of water and soil resources and furnish important fish and wildlife habitat.

Program accomplishments

Since 1986, over $200 million in state funding has resulted in 5,500 permanent easements protecting 230,000 acres.  RIM is one of Minnesota's most enduring and successful conservation programs.  It is a unique collaboration between USDA, BWSR and SWCD's; private landowners, and conservation organizations (such as Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Minnesota Waterfowl Association, and the Nature Conservancy.  RIM plays an important role toward protecting the integrity of critical natural resources that support numerous public benefits.

Primary Contact: Ben Datres, Farm Bill Technician
11360 Highway 212, Suite 6 | Cologne, MN 55322 | Phone: (952) 466-5230