New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball has announced two grant opportunities totaling $21 million for projects that will help New York’s farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy savings, mitigate water and soil quality concerns, and increase on-farm resiliency to climate change.
Commissioner Ball said, “These grant opportunities are great news for New York’s farmers, who are continuing to lead the nation in their environmental stewardship efforts. We have made an incredible impact on our farms so far through the funding of best practices and smart environmental management planning, which are helping to protect our natural resources and ensure our farms can remain competitive and profitable.”
Climate Resilient Farming
The Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program helps farms reduce their operational impact on the environment and address the impacts of extreme weather events resulting from climate change. Through five rounds of funding to date, awarded projects are estimated to deliver the equivalent of 320,000 metric tons of CO2e per year emissions reductions, equivalent to removing 69,500 cars from the road for one year. The 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 State Budget, through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, provided for a combined $8 million in funding for this sixth round.
The Department is now accepting applications for the program, with funding available to support agricultural projects and related equipment purchases that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help agricultural producers prepare for and better manage impacts of climate change, including increased heavy storm events, overall rainfall, and periods of drought.
Applications must be for one of the following project categories:
•Track 1 – Agricultural waste storage cover and flare systems, $4 million: projects will reduce methane emissions from the farm and increase the farm’s resiliency to major precipitation events.
•Track 2 – Water management systems, $2 million: projects will help prepare agricultural producers for flood events and drought. The “water management” umbrella includes best management practices, which stabilize or reinforce conveyances, reduce flows, and/or store water.
•Track 3 – Healthy Soils NY, $2 million: projects will improve soil health on farms and enhance a farm’s resiliency to the impacts of climate change, including benefits during times of drought, wet weather, as well as optimal growing conditions. Soil health practices can also create carbon sinks, increase water holding capacity, and improve recycling of nitrogen by crops, thereby mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
County Soil and Water Conservation Districts can apply on behalf of farmers for this competitive grant program. The application and additional information are available at https://agriculture.ny.gov/funding-opportunities. Project proposals are due at 4:30 p.m. on March 28, 2022.
Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Abatement and Control Program
An additional $13 million is available to support agricultural water quality conservation projects across the State through Round 28 of the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program.
The Agricultural Non-point program awards projects that focus on either environmental planning or the implementation of best management practice systems to protect New York’s watersheds. Projects include conservation measures, such as nutrient management through manure storage, vegetative buffers along streams, and conservation cover crops.
County Soil and Water Conservation Districts can apply on behalf of farmers for this competitive grant program, which is also funded through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund. The application and additional information are available at https://agriculture.ny.gov/funding-opportunities. Project proposals are due at 4:30 p.m. on May 2, 2022.
Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed significant increases in funding for both the CRF and Ag Non-Point programs in the 2022-23 Executive Budget through a historic $400 million investment in the Environmental Protection Fund.
Chairman of the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee Dale Stein said, “The funds being made available today are helping our farmers to build on the great accomplishments they’ve made so far in protecting the health of our soils and our waterways and combating climate change. Working with our Soil and Water Districts, our farmers are making a difference, farm by farm, and ensuring the preservation of our precious resources for our future generations.”
Provided information
