New York Ag Commissioner Ball announces nearly $1.7 million awarded to farm and food organizations to upgrade equipment

ALBANY- State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball has announced that nearly $1.7 million has been awarded to 20 farm and food businesses to help them purchase equipment to expand and strengthen the middle of the food supply chain in New York State.

Funded through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Grant Program, the awards will support processing, packing, aggregating, storing, and distributing of New York grown or produced food products.

The grants build on New York State’s efforts to create a more resilient food system in New York State.

“The ability to purchase critical new equipment will be a game changer for so many farm and food businesses and will allow them to get more fresh, local foods to New Yorkers,” Commissioner Ball said.

Awards were open to New York State farms and food businesses. Awarded projects focus on increasing the supply of New York-sourced food products available in the marketplace.

Twenty entities in nine regions of the state received awards. Locally, this includes:

Mohawk Valley: One award - totaling $99,640

• George's Farm Products Inc.

North Country: Two awards - totaling $198,000

• Overflow Creamery
• YC WORKS (Nature’s Storehouse)

Richard Ball image.