During National Farmers' Market Week, New York State Agriculture ...

To kick off National Farmers' Market Week, New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced that nearly $250,000 has been awarded to six farmers' market organizations across the state through Round 2 of the Farmers' Market Resiliency Grant Program. Funding for the program was included in the 2023-24 New York State Budget and builds on Governor Kathy Hochul's commitment to ensuring a resilient food system in New York State. Awards for Round 1 of the program were announced in spring 2023.

Commissioner Ball said, "The Farmers' Market Resiliency Grant Program continues to help our farmers' markets by providing them the funding they need to expand online sales, improve infrastructure, and create stronger ties between New York farmers, their products, and New York consumers. Thanks to this program, we are a step closer in creating the resilient and streamlined food supply chain needed to get more New York food on the tables of all New Yorkers. I congratulate the entities that have been awarded for Round 2 and look forward to seeing the fruitful results of their projects."

Funding was awarded to six farmers' market organizations across New York State to help strengthen their markets and make local products more accessible to consumers by establishing online sales, improving infrastructure, and expanding marketing and outreach efforts.

The awarded recipients include:

• Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation of Kings County (New York City): $50,000 to support paid youth agriculture internships, an adult gardener network encompassing over 200 members, four urban farms and community gardens, two youth-run farmers' market, two fresh food pantries, cooking demonstrations, local green projects, and the East New York Compost Project. A market manager will spearhead advertisement and promotion to increase market participation, vendor participation, and an increased number of engagement events.
• Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Inc. of Sullivan County (Mid-Hudson):$50,000 to upgrade market infrastructure with a tent and gravel path to accommodate a higher volume of producers and consumers; increase marketing efforts to improve vendor numbers and public attendance; and offer a discounted vendor fee to farmers and producers.
• Webster's Joe Obbie Farmers' Market Inc. of Monroe County (Finger Lakes): $22,950 to support marketing efforts, increase market attendance, and create an online presence and increased public awareness of the market.
• Fulton Market Association Inc. of New York County (New York City): $49,000 to support a farmer and producer survey to assess market needs, Pro Forma development, and architectural design services to incorporate the retail space and equipment needs of interested New York farmers and producers.
• Village of Greenwood Lake of Orange County (Mid-Hudson): $22,665 to support food waste reduction via compost collection, and enhance marketing, outreach, and education efforts to increase the customer base and number of specialty farmers and vendors. The project will also increase food access for the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population through an expanded Market Bucks program.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County (Mohawk Valley): $50,000 to support development and enhancement of an online farmers' market ordering system; scale up marketing and outreach efforts to recruit "virtual vendors" and in-person vendors; facilitate consumer and vendor market survey development; and work with Upstate New York Growers and Packers to create food boxes.

Jack Riffle, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Federation of New York, said, "Congratulations to the recipients of the Farmers' Market Resiliency Grant Program! This vital funding, announced by New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, is a testament to the State's ongoing commitment to strengthening local food systems. This initiative is paving the way for a more resilient and accessible food supply in New York State by investing in organizations committed to prioritizing local producers. Kudos to the six organizations receiving this support-your efforts will undoubtedly contribute to a more robust and sustainable food network. I look forward to seeing how the funded projects might demonstrate the potential for proof of concept to be implemented on a larger scale!"

Mary Beth McEwen, Executive Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, said, "Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County is excited and grateful to be chosen as a recipient of the Farmers' Market Resiliency Grant Program. It's vitally important that we continue to support local farm businesses that support the health and wellness of Oneida County residents by providing them access to local high-quality and healthy foods. This funding will help Cornell Cooperative Extension strengthen long-term food system resiliency through the Oneida County Public Market. We're looking forward to getting this project underway."

Bob Lewis, Fulton Market Association Inc. Board Member, said, "Since 2015, Fulton Market Association has operated a small indoor farmers market - the Fulton Stall Market - in a historic storefront at the South Street Seaport, providing over 100 New York farmers and producers with direct access to Lower Manhattan residents, workers and visitors. We are honored to receive this NYS Farmers Market Resiliency Program grant to enable us to develop a farmer-focused plan and design for a 10,000 square foot, multi-vendor, indoor farmers public market in a vacant NYC-owned building, with a demonstration kitchen and educational programming, that will be an exciting destination for New Yorkers and visitors and provide expanded marketing opportunities for New York State farmers and farm products."

In addition to the Farmers' Market Resiliency Grant program, New York continues to support several groundbreaking State programs that focus on improving access to locally grown foods through its 2024-25 New York State Budget, including the Nourish New York program, the 30% NYS School Initiative, and the Farm-to School program. Additionally, this year's Budget included the second round of funding as part of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Fund, which provides $50 million over five years to support regional cooking facilities that will facilitate the use of fresh New York State farm products in meal preparation for K-12 school children.

These investments build on the Governor's commitment to boost demand for New York agricultural products, bolster New York's food supply chain, and ensuring all New Yorkers can produce and access fresh, local foods. This includes the Governor's Executive Order directing State agencies to increase the percentage of food sourced from New York farmers and producers to 30 percent of their total purchases within five years and raising the discretionary threshold for schools to purchase local food and food products from $20,000 to $150,000, a significant increase from that prior threshold. It also includes a $10 million grant program to support the establishment of farm markets, supermarkets, food cooperatives, and other similar retail food stores, along with supporting infrastructure in underserved communities and regions of the State.

New York State continues to prioritize increasing access to food for all New Yorkers through a number of efforts such as the enhanced FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative, the Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs, the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grants Programs, and more. Learn about the Department's programs and initiatives focused on providing new markets for farmers, increasing food access to underserved communities, and building healthier communities here.