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State grants available for those new to farming
State grants available for those new to farming
Matching grants of up to $50,000 are available for early-stage farmers who apply to the New York State New Farmers Grant Fund.
State officials announced this week that $1 million had been added to the annual fund, which has provided a total of $3.27 million to nearly 90 farms over the previous four years. The application deadline is Jan. 25, 2019.
In announcing the allocation, state Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The New Farmers Grant Fund encourages young people and those seeking second careers to pursue a livelihood that is not always easy but always rewarding.” The fund “gives farmers the resources they need to grow or expand their operations and support our state’s long tradition of farming,” he added.
Grants from the fund pay for up to 50 percent of eligible projects, such as purchase of machinery, equipment and supplies, or for costs of construction of or improving agricultural structures. To be eligible, farmers must have had an ownership interest in a farm business for fewer than 10 years, and the farm must produce at least $10,000 in income from products grown or raised on the farm.
Applications and additional information on the fund are available online. New farmers may also benefit from an online resource set up by the Department of Agriculture & Markets last year: The New and Beginning Farmer One Stop Shop.
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