ALBANY, N.Y. (WWTI) — Farms across the state will receive financial support in an effort to help address the impacts of climate change.
On Wednesday, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that $4 million is being awarded through the Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program to help 80 farms across the state. The funding will aim to help farms reduce their environmental footprints and prepare for extreme weather events resulting from climate change.
According to the Governors Office, the projects chosen will reduce greenhouse gases by an estimated 90,000 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide per year.
Additionally, projects will focus on best management practices to reduce greenhouse emissions, enhance soil health and promote energy savings, increase irrigation capacity and emphasize water management to mitigate the effects of periods of drought on crops and livestock, as well as heavy rainfall and flooding.
Wednesday’s announcement marked the fifth round of the funding and included projects in the North Country, Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier, and Western New York.
The following County Soil and Water Conservation Districts were awarded grants to assist farms to implement climate-related projects:
North Country– $134,626
- Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $175,715 to assist three farms
- Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $75,496 to assist three farms
Capital Region- $259,126
- Rensselaer County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $117,626 to assist two farms
- Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $141,500 to assist five farms
Central New York- $1,589,608
- Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $1,095,738 to assist four farms
- Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $331,345 to assist four farms
- Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $122,289 to assist one farm
- Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $40,236 to assist one farm
Finger Lakes– $1,022,571
- Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $500,821 to assist 10 farms.
- Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $20,168 to assist one farm
- Seneca County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $90,280 to assist one farm
- Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $173,107 to assist 12 farms
- Wyoming County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $113,095 to assist two farms
- Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $125,100 to assist 11 farms
Hudson Valley– $300,000
- Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $300,000 to assist one farm
Mohawk Valley- $287,528
- Fulton County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $45,720 to assist seven farms
- Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $41,220 to assist one farm
- Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $87,347 to assist two farms
- Schoharie County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $113,241 to assist two farms
Western New York- $83,826
- Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $83,826 to assist two farms
Governor Andrew Cuomo commented on the recent funding.
Extreme weather caused by climate change is becoming the new normal, and the results can be devastating to New York’s farmers and the entire agriculture industry. Farmers need the resources to adapt to this new normal while continuing to make a living, and the Climate Resilient Farming Program is an important piece of that puzzle. This funding will help our farmers continue to care for their land, implement measures to reduce their carbon footprints and protect crops and livestock from extreme weather damage, while furthering our strongest-in-the-nation program to combat climate change.”
A full list of chosen project descriptions ca be found on the New York State website.
