A Southern Tier organization will receive nearly $176,000 as part of a statewide effort to strengthen New York’s farmers’ markets and improve access to locally grown food.
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced Thursday that $750,000 has been awarded to 10 organizations through the Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program. The funding will help farmers’ markets make infrastructure improvements, modernize operations, expand marketing efforts, and strengthen the state’s food supply chain.
The Common Council for Assistance, which serves the Southern Tier, was awarded $176,198.29. The organization plans to use the funding to establish a sub-grant program for farmers’ markets and market vendors, provide regional grant support, and host a recognition event for grant recipients.
Commissioner Ball said the program benefits both farmers and consumers by strengthening local agriculture and improving access to healthy food.
“This program is so important because it supports our farmers and agricultural industry while also improving access to healthy and nutritious food to communities across our state,” Ball said. “We are proud to support our farmers’ markets and ensure they have the tools they need to serve their communities and continue to grow.”
The Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program was first introduced as part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2022 State of the State agenda. The initiative is designed to boost demand for New York-grown agricultural products, strengthen the state’s food supply chain, expand access to fresh local foods, and help farmers’ markets better withstand future disruptions.
This year’s funding was distributed among 10 organizations representing regions across New York, with projects ranging from infrastructure improvements and multilingual marketing campaigns to vendor grants, community outreach, and expanded food assistance services.
State officials also highlighted other programs that help increase access to locally grown food, including the FreshConnect Checks Program and the FreshConnect Fresh2You Program. Those initiatives provide financial incentives for eligible New Yorkers, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, to purchase fresh produce, dairy products, meats, and other locally produced foods at participating farmers’ markets across the state.
