$1M federal block grant to fund NY agricultural research

A 2012 Specialty Crop Block Grant from the federal government will channel $1 million to agricultural research, development, and promotion in New York — and much of the money is bound for Cornell University, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

The grant funding includes $200,000 aimed at assisting the state’s wine, beer, and spirits industry. A dozen projects are in line to receive funding, eight of which are in departments and schools at Cornell University.

Cornell’s Cooperative Extensions in Madison, Suffolk, and Clinton counties are slated to receive three more chunks of funding, while the Rochester–based Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Inc. is the final group in line for cash.

“As part of being an entrepreneurial government, New York is partnering with the private sector to establish our state as a leader in the production of a wide array of goods, from Greek yogurt to craft beer,” Cuomo said in a news release. “With a robust, diverse agriculture sector, these awards will help our state join together with these rapidly growing industries to create new jobs and spur economic development in all corners of New York.”

Grants bound for Central New York include $95,931 to the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County to help farmers grow and process high-quality hops for beer brewing. They also include nearly $735,000 for the research projects at Cornell University, which range from boosting the number of disease-tested vines in New York vineyards to developing weed-suppressive turf for organic landscape management.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com