New York State is offering two grant programs for projects that will help the state’s farmers reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, promote energy savings, mitigate water and soil-quality concerns, and increase on-farm resiliency to climate change. The programs total $21 million, Richard Ball, commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, said in a Jan. […]
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The programs total $21 million, Richard Ball, commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, said in a Jan. 31 news release.
“These grant opportunities are great news for New York’s farmers, who are continuing to lead the nation in their environmental stewardship efforts,” Ball said. “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.”
The grants will help New York’s farmers improve sustainable practices while protecting the state’s wildlife, land, water, and air, Basil Seggos, commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, added.
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, the state says.
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, equal to removing 69,500 cars from the road for one year, per the release.
The 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 state budgets — through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund — provided for a combined $8 million in funding for this sixth round.
The Department of Agriculture and Markets 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.
The state says applications must be for one of the following project categories: Track 1 — agricultural-waste storage cover and flare systems; Track 2 — water-management systems; and Track 3 — Healthy Soils NY, soil-health management practice systems.
Track 1 has $4 million for projects will reduce methane emissions from the farm and increase the farm’s resiliency to major precipitation events. Track 2 has $2 million for 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 has $2 million for projects that 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.
New York’s county soil and water conservation districts can apply on behalf of farmers for this competitive grant program. The application and additional information are available on the department’s website at https://agriculture.ny.gov/funding-opportunities.
Project proposals are due at 4:30 p.m. on March 28.
Agricultural water-quality conservation
In addition to the Climate Resilient Farming grant program funding, 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 Nonpoint 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.
The state’s 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 on the department’s website at https://agriculture.ny.gov/funding-opportunities.
Project proposals are due at 4:30 p.m. on May 2.