Governor Hochul announces $8.5 million available to New York’s Agricultural Industry to support food and fiber processing

ALBANY, NY- Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the availability of $8.5 million through the new Food and Fiber Processing Grant program, the first of its kind in the state.

The program provides funding to New York agricultural operations to expand food and fiber processing capacity, bring more local products to the marketplace, and help the State to meet the demands of local sourcing initiatives, such as the Governor’s Executive Order 32, the State’s Farm-to-School program, and Nourish NY.

“The Food and Fiber Processing Grant program represents a significant step forward in bolstering New York’s agricultural industry," said New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball.

"This investment supports the growth of local farms and producers, fosters innovation, and helps create jobs while making sure we are strengthening our local supply chain right here at home. We want to ensure we have the capacity we need to meet the growth of our local sourcing programs and keep our farmers and producers competitive in the marketplace.”

The Food and Fiber Processing Grant Program, administered by the Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF) on behalf of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, supports the scaling of existing and new products produced and harvested in New York State.

Funding is available for the construction and renovation of facilities, as well as the purchase and installation of equipment.

Priority will be given to projects that expand processing for fruits, vegetables, grains and beans for human consumption; plant and animal fibers.

Application information is available online. 

Image via New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.