Minnesota Farmers Get Biogas Digester Guide
Farm operators considering on-farm anaerobic digestion can now review costs, savings, and regulations in one business guide.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Organic Food
The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute has released a business guide on on-farm anaerobic digestion for Minnesota farmers. A recent report estimates the state could produce enough biogas to meet over 13% of Minnesota's natural gas demand.
Why it matters
The guide targets farm operators weighing whether a digester could add revenue, produce renewable energy, and reduce odor and greenhouse gases on their land. Its release on August 14, 2025 reflects growing interest in agricultural waste as an energy and fertilizer resource.
The figure comes from a recent AURI report estimating Minnesota's biogas potential relative to state natural gas demand. The extraction does not include the study design, the assumptions used, or any measured results from operating farms.
The players
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI)
AURI is a Minnesota research organization that helps develop agricultural products, markets, and innovation for the state's farmers and food businesses.
The details
Anaerobic digestion breaks down organic waste in the absence of oxygen. The process can create biogas that is refined into renewable natural gas, used to generate electricity, fueled into vehicles, or burned for heat. The digested material left over can be used as fertilizer and animal bedding.
Timeline
August 14, 2025: AURI released the report and its press release on on-farm anaerobic digestion.
Health Landscape
On-farm digestion sits within a broader shift toward recovering nutrients and energy from agricultural waste rather than treating it as a disposal problem. Biogas and digested fertilizer are presented as ways farms can diversify revenue while addressing water quality and emissions.
Farm operators considering a digester can use the guide to weigh costs, savings, regulations, and the logistics of building and operating a system. Readers interested in the environmental side may find the reported benefits to water quality and greenhouse gas reduction worth following.
The takeaway
On-farm anaerobic digestion can turn organic waste into energy and fertilizer, and AURI's guide lays out its costs and regulations. Farm operators who want to explore the option can review the guide before discussing it with their advisors.
Further reading
For more on farming practices and sustainable food production, explore Organic Food.
More information
Read the AURI press release on Minnesota's biogas potential for details on the report.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Agricultural Utilization Research Institute.
