New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced that US$3 million has been made available to support workforce development in New York's agricultural and food systems industries. The funding is allocated through the New York State Agriculture and Food Systems Workforce Development Grant Program, first outlined in Governor Kathy Hochul's 2023 State of the State address.
The program supports the creation and expansion of training initiatives designed to prepare individuals for employment across New York's agriculture and food sectors. Eligible projects must lead participants toward jobs in agricultural or food system-related roles. These may include formal education or experiential learning programs, training initiatives that result in industry-recognized certificates or credentials, and skills development programs for individuals already working in the sector.
Funding for the program is included in the 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 State Budgets. Eligible applicants include registered not-for-profit organizations, not-for-profit educational institutions, municipal government entities, and public benefit corporations. Applicants may request between US$50,000 and US$500,000 per project. A minimum 20 per cent matching contribution is required, which may be provided through financial resources or in-kind services.
Grant applications are due by April 28, 2026. An informational webinar for potential applicants is scheduled for February 23, 2026, at 1:00 pm.
The workforce development initiative follows earlier steps taken by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to address labor shortages in food and agriculture. In September 2023, the department issued a request for information to collect input from producers, processors, and other stakeholders to help shape the program. The department continues to work with industry participants to identify internship and apprenticeship opportunities in areas including horticulture, dairy management, crop production, food manufacturing, and food distribution.
The department is also cooperating with educational institutions to align training programs with industry requirements and technical standards. These efforts aim to ensure that workforce training reflects current skills needs across the agricultural value chain.
In addition to the workforce development grants, the state has included further funding for agricultural education initiatives in its proposed executive budget. Allocations include US$1 million for FFA, US$500,000 for the New York Agriculture in the Classroom program, US$500,000 for the New York Association of Agricultural Educators, US$250,000 for urban agricultural education, US$250,000 for the 4-H program, and US$50,000 for the MANRRS program.
For more information:
Jola Szubielski
Department of Agriculture and Markets
Tel: +1 518 457 0752
Email: [email protected]
www.agriculture.ny.gov
