Please review each grant’s Request for Proposals (RFP) before applying to understand all program details and what is required of the applicant. Contact Andrew Holden, Business Management Educator, with any questions at azh6192@psu.edu or by calling 716-640-2656. If you know of a grant that wasn’t listed and would benefit the industry, please contact Andrew.

Grant info was compiled in November of 2024 and is subject to change.

Payments for Farmers Available Through FSA’s NEW Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program

Grape growers for juice and wineries who grow their own grapes are potentially eligible to receive a payment. My Cornell Extension colleague Elizabeth Higgins wrote an article detailing the new program and I am sharing it for you to read below.

This program was opened on the 10th and will close on January 8th, 2025. Don’t delay in applying for this program. Both NY and PA growers can apply. Please call ahead to your local FSA Office to book an appointment ahead of time.

Important! Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program

By: Elizabeth Higgins, Eastern NY Commercial Hort Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension

USDA Farm Service Agency has just made $2 billion available to help specialty crop producers (fruit, vegetable, tree nuts, nursery crops, Christmas trees, floriculture, culinary and medicinal herbs and spices, honey, hops, maple sap, turfgrass and grass seed) expand markets and manage higher costs. Applications are only accepted from December 10, 2024, to January 8, 2025. Many NYS farms would seem to be eligible for these funds. This is not a grant; payments are based entirely on your sales history.

MASC is intended to help specialty crop producers meet higher marketing costs related to:

  • Perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursery crops and herbs;

  • Specialized handling and transport equipment with temperature and humidity control;

  • Packaging to prevent damage;

  • Moving perishables to market quickly; and

  • Higher labor costs.

FSA will calculate MASC payments based on the producer’s total specialty crop sales for the calendar year elected by the producer (either 2023 or 2024 or expected 2025 sales for new producers). The total specialty crop sales reported by the producer will be separated into sales ranges, each with a payment factor. Up to $49,000 (a); $50,000- $99,000 (b); $100,000-$499,999 (c); $500,000-$999,999 (d); All sales over $ 1 million (e). The payment factors will depend on the amount of eligible applications FSA receives and are expected to range between 2 to 11 percent. The lower income ranges will have higher percentages than higher income ranges.

For example: if a producer had total specialty crop sales of $450,000, FSA would calculate the payment equal to the sum of the following: $49,999 multiplied by (a) + $50,000 multiplied by (b) + $350,001 multiplied by (c). If the payment factors (a, b and c) were all 2 percent the producer would be eligible for a $9,000 payment. Payments are subject to a payment limitation of $125,000.

Eligible producers or legal entities must:

  • Have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023, unless the producer or legal entity’s average adjusted gross farm income is at least 75 percent of their average AGI; so, if your income is more than 75% from farming you are not held to the AGI cap.

  • Be in the business of producing a specialty crop at the time of application and be entitled to an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in calendar year 2025.

  • Be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other organizational structure organized under state law, Indian Tribe or Tribal Organization, or a foreign person or foreign entity who meets certain eligibility requirements.

  • Comply with the provisions of the “Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation” regulations, often called the conservation compliance provisions; and

  • Not have a controlled substance violation.

Eligible established specialty crop producers can apply for MASC benefits by completing the FSA-1140, Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program Application, and submitting the form to any FSA county office by Jan. 8, 2025. When applying, eligible specialty crop producers must certify their specialty crop sales for calendar year 2023 or 2024.

New specialty crop producers are required to certify 2025 expected sales, submit an FSA-1141 application and provide certain documentation to support reported sales i.e., receipts, contracts, acreage reports, input receipts, etc. New producers are those who began producing specialty crops in 2023 or 2024 but did not have sales due to the immaturity of the crop, began producing specialty crops in 2024 but did not have a complete year of sales, or will begin growing specialty crops in 2025.

This is the link to the program website Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) | Farm Service Agency

This is the link to the Federal Register Notice that provides the most detail about the program.

 

New York State Grown & Certified ITRD Grant Program

Funder: The New York Farm Viability Institute

Details: All grantees must be NYS G&C prior to reimbursement for their project. Grant applications will be more competitive if the applicant is already enrolled or actively in the process of becoming part of the NYS Grown & Certified program. That is why we are encouraging all potential applicants to take a look NOW at the NYS Grown & Certified program and determine if it is a good fit for their business.

Amount: Grant sizes will range from $20,000 to $250,000 for infrastructure and technology projects. A 10% match (cash, grant, loan) will be required for all projects

For: Growers, Wineries

Availability: The Request for Proposals for Infrastructure and Technology projects will be released no later than November 25. Applications must be submitted by February 28, 2025.

More Info: https://nyfvi.org/new-york-state-grown-certified-itrd-grant-program-2024copy/

 

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program - Equipment-Only Grant

Funder: New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, USDA

Details: This competitive opportunity is focused on funding equipment for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of agricultural food products (excluding meat and poultry products).

Amount: Eligible applicants may request awards in the amount of $10,000 - $100,000. No match is required for Equipment-Only Grants.

For: Growers, Wineries

Availability: Anticipated release in 2025 - check back for more information soon

More Info: https://agriculture.ny.gov/resilient-food-systems-infrastructure-program

 

New York State Beginning Farmer Competitive Grant Program

Funder: The New York Farm Viability Institute

Details: Farmers who have not operated a farm for more than 10 years and who will materially and substantially participate in operating the farm within the State are eligible to submit proposals. It is expected that all applicants will have a serious interest in building a financially sustainable, independent, commercial agricultural enterprise.

Amount: $5,000 - $250,000

For: Growers (Less than 10 years in business)

Availability: The RFP opened on October 25th and applications will be accepted through January 24, 2025.

More Info: https://nyfvi.org/bfcg-program/

Business Management Contact:

Andrew Holden, Business Management Educator

Mobile (call or text): (716) 640-2656

Office: (716) 792-2800

Email: AZH6192@psu.edu