Governor Hochul Announces More Than $25 Million Awarded to Help Farmers Across the State Combat Impacts of Climate Change

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than $25 million is being awarded to 133 farms in 23 counties across the state through the Climate Resilient Farming (CRF) Grant Program. Funded projects help New York's farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect water quality, protect and enhance soil health and increase on-farm resiliency to the effects of a changing climate. Funding for the program was included in the New York State FY 2026 Enacted Budget and the Governor has proposed additional support for the CRF program in this year's proposed Executive Budget, as part of the Environmental Protection Fund. To date, $94 million has been awarded through the CRF program to 700 farms across the State, with an estimated 642,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year of emissions reduced, or the equivalent of removing 142,984 gasoline powered vehicles from the road for one year. Nearly half of the funding has been invested in methane reduction practice systems, which represents approximately 94% of the reduction.

"New York State has long been a leader in combating climate change, and a big part of that includes supporting our farmers," Governor Hochul said. "Ensuring New York's agricultural industry has resources to mitigate the effects of climate change is critical to not only protecting our environment but also maintaining the economic viability of the state's agricultural industry for generations to come. I congratulate all the awardees of this terrific program and look forward to seeing the progress made in creating a cleaner, greener, more resilient New York."

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "Through programs like the Climate Resilient Farming program, our farmers are implementing best management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, capture and sequester carbon, and protect our soil and water quality, all while remaining competitive in the marketplace. Through our governor's leadership and our ongoing partnership with our County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), we are continuing to make great strides in the fight against climate change."

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, "New York farmers are growing our food while simultaneously standing on the front lines of the Climate Crisis, and they need our full support for on-farm efforts to lower emissions, protect our water, and boost soil health to secure our food supply for the future. The Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program is one of the key initiatives delivering that support. I'm proud to champion this critical program and congratulate our farmers across the state who have been awarded grant funding."

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, "NY's Climate Resilient Farming grants are an important part of our environmental protection and climate change response efforts. These awards will equip over 130 farms with the resources needed to help lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve water quality and boost resilience to the effects of climate change. New York continues to be a national leader in soil health practices and methane reduction, maintaining our commitment to these efforts despite significant federal cuts to these very initiatives."

New York Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, "The Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program provides critical support to local farmers in New York to better protect against increasing extreme weather events and invest in more climate friendly and sustainable equipment and practices. The annual funding from our partners at Agriculture and Markets helps to ensure hundreds of farms have the ability and resources they need to advance efforts to reduce harmful emissions, safeguard water quality and increase resilience to improve operations and protect the environment."

New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee Chair Matthew Brower said, "Once again, the agricultural producers across the state are showing that, when the resources are available, they will do their part to address climate change and protect our soil and water. The growth in the Climate Resilient Farming Grants Program has been amazing, both in terms of funding and the number of projects awarded. Thanks to the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts for making this a success."

The goal of the CRF Program is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon sequestration on agricultural lands, and prepare farms for a changing climate. Led by county Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), a total of 50 projects will be implemented on 133 farms across New York State through this round of funding. Of the 50 awarded projects, half of them involve a new farm participant, demonstrating the growing reach and impact of the program. Grants support on-farm implementation of conservation practices such as manure and methane management, nutrient management, water management, soil health management including cover cropping, reduced tillage, afforestation and building pollinator habitat.

Altogether, the projects are estimated to reduce greenhouse gases by 67,677 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year - the equivalent of removing 15,786 gasoline powered vehicles from the road for one year.

SWCDs were awarded the grants on behalf of farmers in one of four tracks:

• Track 1: Livestock Management: Alternative Waste Management and Precision Feed Management
• Track 2: Adaptation and Resiliency
• Track 3: Healthy Soils NY (systems and Best Management Practices that support soil health and agroforestry)
• Track 4: Agricultural Forestry Management (afforestation for carbon sequestration)

The Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program follows the State's Agricultural Environmental Management planning framework. The Round 9 awards to SWCDs in the following regions are:

• Capital Region: $1,007,740 awarded to work with 13 farms
• Central New York: $6,012,742 awarded to work with 11 farms
• Finger Lakes: $11,312,579 awarded to work with 57 farms
• Long Island: $178,819 awarded to work with 8 farms
• Mohawk Valley: $1,576,658 awarded to work with four farms
• North Country: $481,725 awarded to work with four farms
• Southern Tier: $3,730,736 awarded to work with 33 farms
• Western New York: $1,096,415 awarded to work with 3 farms

To highlight a few project types, the awarded farms are projected to implement 34,600 acres of cover crops, 11 acres of riparian buffers and nine manure storage cover and capture systems for methane emission reduction. For a complete list and descriptions of projects awarded, please visit the Department of Agriculture and Markets' website.

The CRF Program is a key component of New York's climate and environmental protection strategies, working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the agriculture sector. Since the program's inception, $94 million has now been awarded to 700 farms across the state through county Soil and Water Conservation Districts with an estimated 642,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year of emissions reduced. Although there is more to do, farm efforts combined with expert assistance through county Soil and Water Conservation Districts and state resources through the CRF Program demonstrate real progress made toward reducing agricultural emissions and increasing carbon sequestration potential on farmland across the state. The CRF Program remains oversubscribed each year, further showing that there is increasing momentum on farms to continue to reduce emissions, increase carbon sequestration and improve resiliency to a changing climate.

Out of the 642,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions reduction, approximately 94% or 603,500 metric tons is due to methane reductions from enhanced manure management systems. From the total amount awarded of $94 million, $40.8 million was invested in methane reduction practice systems. With support from the CRF Program, farmers are investing in systems that reduce the level of methane emissions from the handling of manure, including liquid and solid separation and storage covers and flare systems that destroy remaining methane that is given off when manure is stored for a portion of the year as a way to facilitate nutrient management for the protection of water quality.

In addition to the CRF Program, the Enhanced Nutrient and Methane Management Program (ENMP) is helping dairy farmers invest in manure and feed management systems to reduce even more methane emissions. An additional $15.8 million was awarded to 22 farms for innovative manure and feed management systems for an estimated reduction of 120,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. With practice systems designed to mitigate methane emissions, a combined 723,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions will be reduced through support from both the CRF and ENMP programs.

Governor's Commitment to Climate Mitigation on Farms

The Governor's Executive Budget Proposal provides $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, with $83 million for agricultural programs that are helping farms to implement environmentally sustainable practices and combat climate change. This includes investments in grant programs that conserve farmland, boost farm resiliency and provide additional aid to New York's County Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Over the last five years, New York State has dedicated more than $175 million to conserve natural resources, combat climate change, and protect soil and water quality on farms across the state. This includes record funding for programs, such as the CRF, ENMP and Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Programs (AgNPS), with the AgNPS Program having been provided with a boost this year through the State's Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.

Contact the Governor's Press Office