State Grants and Incentives for Northeast Agriculture

Volume 16, Issue 1
January 2022

State Grants and Incentives for Northeast Agriculture

The following are some selected grants and incentives available for agriculture, fishing and forestry in states served by Farm Credit East. Most of the grants listed under each state are available throughout that state; however, some may have location restrictions within the state. This is not a comprehensive list of all grants available in Northeast states. Visit Farm Credit East's Grants and Incentives for Northeast Agriculture report for a more detailed listing.

Please visit the link below each description for due dates, requirements and other information. In some cases, the grant application deadline has passed for this year, but it is still included in this listing if Farm Credit East has reason to believe the program will continue.

Table of Contents:

• Connecticut
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Vermont

Connecticut

Connecticut Women’s Business Development Council Equity Match Grant
Grants of up to $10,000 are available for applicants who own 51% or more of their business, have been established for at least two years in Connecticut and are owned by a Connecticut resident with a record of sales between $25,000 - $2 million. Applicants are required to provide a 25% match and cannot be used for past purchases or investments.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Milk Producer (Dairy Sustainability) Grant
Milk Producer Grants are quarterly grant payments for Connecticut dairy producers. The payments are determined by a formula based on regional prices and cost of production.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

UCONN Solid Ground Stipends
Solid Ground Stipends provide new and beginning farmers, with less than 10 years of experience, a $500-$2,000 grant to be used to mitigate costs. Funds can be used to buy inputs, offset costs of conservation practices and/or land preparation and land leasing, or to make wifi connectivity more accessible.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Maine

Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program
The Agriculture Infrastructure Investment (AII) Program is a Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan initiative created to help Maine farmers and food processors upgrade aging infrastructure. It's backed by $20 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. AII funding is available for Maine farms, agricultural food producers, and food processing businesses to support a number of activities, including: Capital improvements including modifications to existing buildings and/or construction of new buildings at existing facilities; Upgrades to utilities (including water, electric, heat, refrigeration, freezing, and waste facilities); Growing, processing, and manufacturing equipment and construction; Packaging and handling equipment; and Technology that allows increased capacity or business resilience (including software and hardware related to business functions, logistics, inventory management, and plant production and monitoring controls).
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

WoodsWISE Incentives to Stewardship Enhancement
Taking care of woodlands is extremely important to Maine’s economy and well-being. A key element of woodland stewardship is working with a professional forester to develop a management plan. The WoodsWISE Incentives program currently offers cost-share assistance for forest management planning known as a Woodland Resource Action Plan (WRAP). A WRAP will provide a good description of the current and potential values of your woodland, and a blueprint of activities to reach your objectives to maintain and improve your woods.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Massachusetts

Dairy Farmer Tax Credit Program
The Dairy Farmer Tax Credit Program enables a dairy farmer who holds a Certificate of Registration to receive a refundable income tax credit based on the amount of milk produced and sold. The credit shall be based on the United States Federal Milk Marketing Order for the applicable market such that if the United States Federal Milk Marketing Order price drops below a trigger price anytime during the taxable year, such taxpayer may receive the tax credit.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP)
FVEP provides business planning and technical assistance to help established farms identify strategies to increase farm viability. Participants selected to participate in the program may be offered grant funds of $50,000 - $150,000 to implement strategies identified in the planning process in return for signing an agricultural covenant on the farm property for a 5, 10 or 15-year term.
For information about this opportunity, click here.

Massachusetts Food Ventures Program
This grant program funds projects that support food ventures in low- or moderate-income communities. This includes Gateway Cities and rural communities. Participants selected by the program will be reimbursed up to $500,000, and the minimum award is $100,000.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture Program (MEGA)
This grant program assists beginner farmers who are between 1 and 6 years in business by providing technical assistance and business planning. Grant funds of up to $10,000 are available with a one-to-one match to assist farmers whose goal is to raise agricultural products and who aspire to develop their farms into commercially viable operations.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

New Hampshire

Agricultural Mini-Grant Program
The Agricultural Promotion Mini-Grant Program offers matching grants of up to $1,000 to organizations that wish to conduct a project focused on promoting New Hampshire agriculture.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
The NHDAMF offers eligible New Hampshire organizations the opportunity to apply for a portion of these funds under the New Hampshire Specialty Crops Grant Program to conduct projects that benefit New Hampshire Specialty Crops.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

New Jersey

Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program
This program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture offers eligible organizations the opportunity to apply for a portion of these funds under the New Jersey Specialty Crops Grant Program to conduct projects that benefit New Jersey specialty crops.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

New York

Climate Resilient Farming Program
The goal of the CRP Program is to reduce the impact of agriculture on climate change and to increase resiliency of New York State farms in the face of a changing climate. Soil and Water Conservation Districts use the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Framework to plan and assess their environmental risks. CRF allows farmers to proactively address risks due to the changing climate while also mitigating their greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

NYS Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices
The Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)/Good Handling Practices (GHP) Certification Assistance Program is a cost-share/reimbursement program designed to assist New York State’s specialty crop industry with the cost of a GAP/GHP food safety audit.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Rhode Island

Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) Grants Program
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Agriculture administers a Local Agriculture and Seafood Act Grants Program. The goal of the program is to support the growth, development and marketing of local food and seafood in Rhode Island. It is made possible by funding from the State of Rhode Island and matching foundation funds. This unique and unprecedented public-private partnership will provide grants intended to directly benefit and strengthen the local food system in Rhode Island.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Organic Certification Cost Share Reimbursement
Certified organic operations in Rhode Island may apply for USDA organic certification cost share reimbursement through RIDEM Division of Agriculture annually when funds become available and after forms and information have been updated here. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Kent County office also has accepted applications for organic certification cost share reimbursement. Contact FSA for current program status.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Vermont

Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP)
Financial assistance is available for new or innovative equipment that will aid in the reduction of surface runoff of agricultural wastes to state waters, improve water quality of state waters, reduce odors from manure application, separate phosphorus from manure, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce costs to farmers when they apply manure.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Farm Agronomic Practices (FAP) Program
The Farm Agronomic Practices program utilizes state funding to help Vermont farms implement soil-based agronomic practices that improve soil quality, increase crop production, and reduce erosion and agricultural waste discharges. The FAP program also provides education and instructional activity grants to support outreach regarding the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality and current state agricultural water quality regulations.
For more information about this opportunity, click here.

Editor: Chris Laughton 
Contributors: Tom Cosgrove and Chris Laughton

View previous editions of the KEP

Farm Credit East Disclaimer: The information provided in this communication/newsletter is not intended to be investment, tax, or legal advice and should not be relied upon by recipients for such purposes. Farm Credit East does not make any representation or warranty regarding the content, and disclaims any responsibility for the information, materials, third-party opinions, and data included in this report. In no event will Farm Credit East be liable for any decision made or actions taken by any person or persons relying on the information contained in this report.

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