The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets will announce $4.2 million in funding to support Long Island’s aquaculture industry. The announcement will take place at the Hampton Oyster Company in New Suffolk, NY, on October 22.
Commissioner Richard A. Ball will be joined by representatives from the Farm and Food Growth Fund, local aquaculture businesses, and state officials. Of the total funding, $1.2 million will be awarded through the Long Island Aquaculture Infrastructure Grant program to help 17 small businesses purchase equipment.
Commissioner Ball is also expected to discuss a second round of the grant program, which will make an additional $3 million available for infrastructure upgrades such as construction, renovation, and installed fixtures.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Markets, “The Long Island Aquaculture Infrastructure Grant Program will fund up to $4.2 million through two grant opportunities – Equipment-Only Grants and Infrastructure Grants – to bolster marine agriculture, promote a healthy natural environment, and provide New Yorkers with a nutritious source of locally grown seafood.”
This initiative is part of New York State’s Blue Food Transformation plan. First announced in Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State proposal, this effort aims to strengthen local food systems by supporting both aquaculture and wild-caught seafood industries.
The awards are linked to other recent efforts such as the launch of the Long Island Seafood Cuisine Trail on the South Shore, designed to increase business and tourism at locations that serve or sell locally harvested fish and shellfish. A similar trail for the North Shore is being developed.
Other elements of the Blue Food Transformation initiative include a Seafood Processing Feasibility Study and a new interagency workgroup focused on seafood in New York State.
“The investments in the industry are meant to reinvigorate New York’s aquaculture and wild-caught seafood industries, strengthen local food systems, and increase consumer demand for local food,” according to state officials.
The Blue Food Transformation initiative was created as part of Governor Hochul’s plan to revitalize these sectors while promoting sustainable practices across New York.
