New York climate resilient farming funding unveiled

By Blake Jackson

New York's Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner is set to unveil a significant funding opportunity aimed at assisting the state's farmers in mitigating the impacts of climate change on their operations.

Providence Farm Collective, a previous recipient of the State's Climate Resilient Farming Grant program, will showcase its awarded project involving an irrigation water management system. Additionally, they will spotlight their environmentally sustainable farming practices, including cover cropping, intercropping, and crop rotation for soil health.

The farm also employs high tunnels to extend the growing season, practices on-farm composting, utilizes drip-line irrigation for water conservation, and implements organic farming practices for pest management. Furthermore, they've taken steps to protect their 37-acre farmland indefinitely with an agricultural conservation easement, all aimed at enhancing on-farm resilience to climate change.

The event will take place on Wednesday, April 24th, at 11 a.m. at Providence Farm Collective, located at 5701 Burton Rd, Orchard Park, NY 14127.

Present at the event will be Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, Kristin M. Heltman-Weiss (President & Executive Director of Providence Farm Collective), Hamadi Ali (Markets Manager and founder of the Somali Bantu Community Farm and Providence Farm Collective), Mahamud Mberwa (Farm Mentor, Providence Farm Collective), and Mark Gaston (District Field Manager, Erie County Soil and Water District).

Providence Farm Collective is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering refugee, immigrant, BIPOC, and low-income communities through grassroots farm programs. It aims to address food insecurity and farmland inequity while promoting just and equitable access to food and farmland. For more information, visit www.providencefarmcollective.org

The Climate Resilient Farming Grant program, funded by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets through the Environmental Protection Fund, aims to assist farms in reducing their environmental impact and addressing the challenges posed by climate change-induced extreme weather events.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-luc-pouliot