New York $45M Food Hub Boosts Access and Farmer Economy

By Blake Jackson

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the successful completion of the new New York State Regional Food Hub, a significant $45 million cold-storage facility set to revolutionize food access statewide.

This inaugural 60,000-square-foot facility, managed by GrowNYC in the Bronx’s Hunts Point neighborhood, is projected to boost locally sourced food distribution by an impressive 600 percent from approximately 3 million to 20 million pounds annually by 2034. The project is also expected to generate over 200 new jobs, offering a vital economic boost to New York’s farmers.

Supported by $19 million from New York State, as advised by the New York City Regional Economic Development Council, this joint State and City investment aims to fortify the local food economy, support agricultural producers, and enhance healthy food access for underserved communities.

“The New York State Regional Food Hub is a game-changer for families and farmers across New York,” Governor Hochul said. “From the streets of the Bronx to the farms of Batavia, the Empire State has so much to offer. That's why we invested in this massive GrowNYC facility to expand access to fresh, local food while creating new economic opportunities for our agricultural producers.”

“The New York State Regional Food Hub is designed to be a game changer for our farmers bringing product to market and to our families who will have greater access to quality New York grown fruits and vegetables," Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said.

"We learned during the pandemic that we needed to double down on our efforts to strengthen the food supply chain and make sure that we had a food system right here in New York that was resilient and could feed its communities. This Food Hub is a tremendous piece of that puzzle and will provide an incredible benefit to our underserved populations and to our farmers.”

The Hub will dramatically increase GrowNYC’s aggregation and distribution space, enabling expanded wholesale delivery of local foods to institutions, restaurants, and nonprofit partners, including those involved in the New York Food for New York Families program.

The initiative directly addresses food insecurity, which surged in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, by connecting regional farms especially small and mid-sized operations to the city’s wholesale market, thereby strengthening the agricultural economy and building a more robust food supply chain.

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