SWCD Conservation Equipment Rental Dashboard
This Dashboard is a tool to help landowners and farmers find equipment rentals near them for conservation practices.
SWCD Conservation Equipment Rental Dashboard | User Guide | About the Dashboard | Equipment Rental Advice from SWCD Staff
User Guide
Map
Hover your mouse over a county, or click on a county to highlight all the associated SWCD equipment rentals in the spreadsheet. Click on the county again to reset the map.
Equipment and Services List
Select the boxes to highlight all the counties that offer each piece of equipment. Clear selections by clicking the button at the top right corner of the list. Scroll vertically to see all the options available.
Spreadsheet
The spreadsheet is organized alphabetically by county. View the spreadsheet for details such as equipment specs and whether the equipment can be rented outside of the county. Scroll vertically to see all rows. Expand the spreadsheet to a full page by clicking the button at the top right corner of the spreadsheet.
Expand the Dashboard to Full Screen
Expand the dashboard to a full screen by clicking the ⤢ symbol at the bottom right corner below the dashboard. Click the escape button on your keyboard to exit full screen, or hover your mouse over the top center of the screen and click the X to exit full screen.
About the Dashboard
Minnesota Farmers Union Foundation developed the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Conservation Equipment Rental Dashboard to amplify the resources available at Minnesota SWCDs for conservation and soil health. The dashboard features the essential equipment needed for practices such as no-till, cover crops, agroforestry, and pasture and native perennial plantings.
In April and May 2026 MFU staff contacted SWCD offices across the state in partnership with the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) to gather up-to-date information about each SWCD's equipment available for rent.
Landowners should contact their local SWCD office for more details and to start the equipment rental process. Find the phone number for each local SWCD by viewing the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources' directory of Minnesota SWCD offices.
Note that some SWCD offices rent to landowners who live outside of their county, but priority is given to landowners within the county. Many SWCD offices offer to help farmers get started with the right settings and calibration of the equipment to ensure proper operation on their land. Some equipment listed in the Dashboard is available for custom services only, and must be operated by SWCD staff.
"Access to specialized equipment through the Big Stone County SWCD allowed us, as farmers, to explore diverse soil health practices without the upfront investment of purchasing the machinery. Equipment rental programs like this reduce financial barriers and provide valuable opportunities for farmers across Minnesota to adopt conservation practices, improve soil health, and evaluate new management approaches before making long-term equipment investments."-- Anne Schwagerl, MFU Vice President
Equipment Rental Advice from SWCD Staff
“When renting our no-till drill, the best advice I can give landowners is to contact us and get the rental paperwork done early. If you know you need to do a seeding next season, you can contact me as early as the winter to get on our list. The earlier you contact me, the more dates will be available to you. We’re willing to be flexible with farmers and even occasionally allow weekend pick-ups of the drill.”-- Heather Donoho, Ag Technician at Pine SWCD
"With our tree planter, I recommend starting out slow to get used to operating it, but you'll be surprised how quickly you get familiar with it." -- Allison, District Technician at Wadena SWCD
"When someone calls in to rent our no-till drill, we discuss how many horsepower your tractor needs and the number of hydraulic line sets needed to use it. We go over those details to make sure the renter's tractor is compatible with the equipment." -- Andy Albertson, District Manager of Swift SWCD
"With the no-till drill, be mindful of seeding adjustment rates and know what to check for, like seeds getting stuck and sprouting which makes it hard to operate. I recommend using a vacuum cleaner instead of an air compressor to clean the no-till drill." -- Siena Storm, Ag Technician at Mille Lacs SWCD
We want your feedback!
We encourage SWCD staff to use this contact form at any time to send updates about equipment rentals and availability at their office.
If you find our dashboard to be useful, have tips for improvement, or other feedback, we want to hear from you! Fill out the contact form below.