Millions In Help For New York Dairy Farmers

Millions of dollars are available for the thousands of dairy farmers across New York State.

Governor Kathy Hochul recently opened a grant application period for New York’s dairy farmers to access a slice of $21.6 million to modernize milk storage and transportation. Announced in her 2024 State of the State address, this funding is now available to help dairy farms improve their operations.

Governor Kathy Hochul said,

Dairy farms are truly the backbone of New York’s agricultural industry, contributing to our communities and economy. Farmers can apply for grants to expand on-farm milk storage or support projects boosting milk transportation.

Applications will be accepted until February 14, 2025.

According to New York Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball, the Dairy Modernization Grant Program offers critical support by providing funds for new equipment and facility upgrades.

Challenges during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic and severe winter storms exposed gaps in the dairy supply chain, sometimes forcing farmers to dump milk due to lack of storage. This grant aims to tackle these issues with funding for milk storage tanks, pipelines, cooling systems, and more.

Northeast Dairy Producers Association Executive Vice President Tonya Van Slyke noted that new technologies funded through this grant will keep milk flowing efficiently to shelves, saving time and costs along the dairy supply chain according to Spectrum News.

Grant amounts range from $50,000 to $250,000, managed by the Farm and Food Growth Fund. New York is home to nearly 2,800 dairy farms, and in 2022, dairy contributed $3.9 billion, making it the state’s top agricultural commodity.