Cuomo announces funding to help farms join New York State Grown & Certified program

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced funding to help New York fruit and vegetable farmers join the New York State Grown & Certified program.

Through the state’s Environmental Protection Fund, $1.5 million is available to assist farms in implementing an agricultural environmental-management plan. A reimbursement of up to $1,000 is available for growers who participate in a third-party audit of safe food-handling practices, the governor’s office said.

Farmers must participate in programs supporting good agricultural practices and environmental management to be eligible for the New York State Grown & Certified program, and this funding will help more farms join the certification program, the governor contends.

“New York farms produce world-renowned, high-quality food, and the New York State Grown & Certified program strengthens the link between producers and consumers and promotes environmentally sustainable and safe practices,” Gov. Cuomo said in a news release. “This funding will help more farmers certify their products to these higher standards and access the many opportunities offered by New York State Grown & Certified.”

Launched in August, the New York State Grown & Certified program seeks to assure consumers that the food they are buying is “local and produced to a higher standard” by requiring participating producers to adopt good agricultural practices and enroll in an environmental-management program.

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