$750,000 Available to Support Disadvantaged Farmers
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced that applications are now open for the second offering of the Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmer Grant Program. The grant program aims to expand opportunities to farmers who are less likely to enter or succeed in the agricultural field, due to discrimination and the inability to access resources. Funding is available for a wide range of start-up and operational costs, including support for marketing, training, and more.
Commissioner Ball said, “The Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmer Grant Program allows New York to assist farmers who have not always had the same opportunities to start and grow a farm operation. I’m grateful to our partners, the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust, for continuing to administer this grant program and ensuring individuals who have encountered certain barriers have access to the resources they need to cultivate a successful business. I encourage all eligible farmers to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmer Grant Program
The Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmers Grant Program is administered by the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust (NEFOC). The Department announced its partnership with (NEFOC) to administer this program on its behalf in 2023. The program was funded in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 New York State Enacted Budget and builds upon the State’s priority to expand opportunities in agriculture to more New Yorkers.
The Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmers Grant Program aims to expand opportunities to socially and economically impaired individuals who are less likely to enter or succeed in the field, due to diminished capital, credit opportunities or access to land, among other things. Opening doors to all farmers is a critical step in ensuring a strong, diverse, and well-supported agricultural future for New York.
The program provides funding for:
- the start-up, improvement, or expansion of a farm operation;
- the purchase of machinery, equipment, or livestock;
- the construction or improvement of physical structures, including semi-permanent structures;
- marketing activities.
Funding for the Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmers Grant Program will be offered under the program name “Landing Access: Novel Directions (LAND) Project.” The LAND Project’s goal is to assist farmers who face social and economic barriers to success.
A total of $750,000 is available to famers through this program, with grants of up to $50,000 available in this second offering. Subsequent offerings of funding to be announced in the coming weeks will offer awards of up to $250,000. Applications open on September 23, 2026, and will be available through November 30, 2026.
Questions regarding the LAND Project can be sent to [email protected].
New York State continues to prioritize increasing access to agriculture and local products for all New Yorkers through additional efforts including the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program, continued funding for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), the enhanced FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs, Nourish NY, and many more.
Learn about the Department’s programs and initiatives focused on providing new markets for farmers, increasing food access to underserved communities, and building healthier communities.
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