New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball has announced that $8.5 million in grants will be distributed to 69 farms, food processors, and distributors throughout the state. The funding comes from the New York State Grown & Certified Infrastructure, Technology, Research, and Development (NYS G&C ITRD) grant program. The initiative aims to help agricultural operations purchase equipment and upgrade infrastructure to bring NYS Grown & Certified products to market.
“Congratulations to all the recipients of this terrific program, which is providing funding for much-needed infrastructure enhancements and equipment that support the innovative practices taking place today on farms and food businesses across the State. These improvements will ultimately help our farms and agribusinesses meet the growing needs of the industry and consumer demand, including producing food that is grown and packed with food safety measures and environmental consideration top of mind, which is what the NYS Grown & Certified program is all about,” said Commissioner Ball.
The grant program was established to strengthen businesses involved in producing, processing, or distributing NYS Grown & Certified products. This year’s round focused on projects that enhance distribution capacity, improve processing and packaging, automate production, and increase labor efficiency. Proposals were divided into two categories based on project size: those under $50,000 and those between $50,000 and $250,000.
Funds were awarded regionally according to New York’s Regional Economic Development Council areas:
– Southern Tier and Western New York received a combined $1.7 million.
– Finger Lakes and Central New York also received $1.7 million.
– Long Island, New York City, and Mid-Hudson shared $2.55 million.
– Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, and North Country were allocated another $2.55 million.
The New York Farm Viability Institute (NYFVI) administers the grant program in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Markets as part of Rounds XII and XIII of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.
Dave Grusenmeyer, Executive Director of NYFVI, said: “NYFVI is pleased to administer this program for NYS Grown & Certified food and beverage producers and we thank the reviewers for their ag business and economic development expertise. It is exciting to see these businesses seeking to build capacity to meet the growing demand from New York’s schools and institutions. The NY agriculture community is fortunate to have the NYS Grown & Certified program, these grants and a government that uses its purchasing power to support the local food system. New York consumers should look for the NYS G&C label to support their local farms and enjoy great locally grown and produced food and beverage products.”
Of the total funding available through this round of grants, $1.36 million has been set aside specifically for research-and-development-focused projects; details about this portion will be released at a later date.
The NYS Grown & Certified program began in 2016 as a way for consumers to identify local foods produced according to higher standards—including mandatory food safety protocols and participation in an environmental management program. Since its launch, it has expanded to cover 20 different commodities across various segments of agriculture within New York State.
More information about NYS Grown & Certified can be found at certified.ny.gov.
