Farm Credit Awards Efforts to Develop and Promote Northeast Agriculture

The Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program, a joint effort of Farm Credit East and CoBank, recently provided $137,000 in grant funding to 27 organizations to assist their efforts to encourage youth leadership development, support young and beginning farmer initiatives, promote diversity, equity and inclusion, and advance northeast agriculture, forestry and commercial fishing. Submissions for the next round of grant funding are due by April 1.

Many of the projects receiving these most recent grants are related to promoting youth development, support for beginning farmers or individuals entering the commercial fishing industry, promoting diversity equity and inclusion, and supporting veterans in agriculture. Several northeast state FFA associations were awarded grant funds, including Granite State FFA and the Connecticut FFA, as well as the regional New England FFA associations for an officers training event.

Other programs receiving grants include City Green, Inc. to support the northern New Jersey chapter of the Young Farmers Coalition, , the Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming, the New Jersey Junior Breeders Association, NOFA New Jersey, Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success, Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment, The Campaign Against Hunger Green Teen Program, and the Youth Farm Project, Inc.

Additionally, grants were awarded to a number of programs to support and promote Northeast agriculture, forestry and fishing, including projects involving leadership development and education, economic viability, food infrastructure and security, and sustainability initiatives. These projects include Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries’ Eastern Maine Skippers Program, Good Shepard Food Bank’s Mainers Feeding Mainers program, Massachusetts Farmers Markets, New England Dairy & Food Council, New Jersey Agricultural Society, New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association, NECC Cooperative Leaders Forum, NOFA New Hampshire, New York Restoration Project, NOFA Vermont, Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, Northeastern Loggers’ Association, nOURish Bridgeport, Inc, Vermont Foodbank and Vermont Horse Council.

The Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program was created in 1996 to support projects that promote and enhance the region’s agricultural community. Since inception, the program has provided more than $3.2 million in grant funding to 1,111 projects. Submissions for the next round of grant funding are due by April 1, 2024. Visit FarmCreditEast.com/AgEnhancement to learn more.

Farm Credit East is a member owned cooperative with 24 locations in its eight-state service area. In addition to loans and leases, the organization also offers a full range of specialized financial services, such as tax preparation, payroll, record keeping, appraisal and consulting for farming, forest products and commercial fishing businesses. Farm Credit East is governed by an 18-person board of directors, comprised of 15 customer-elected, one customer appointed and two outside appointed directors. For more information, visit FarmCreditEast.com.