Farm Credit Awards Efforts to Develop and Promote Northeast Agriculture

ENFIELD, CONN. — The Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program, a joint effort of Farm Credit East and CoBank, recently provided $115,804 in grant funding to 18 organizations to assist their efforts to encourage youth leadership development, support young and beginning farmer initiatives, promote diversity, equity and inclusion, and advance Northeast agriculture, forestry and commercial fishing. Applications for the next round of grant funding are due by April 1.

Many of the projects receiving these most recent grants are working to support the next generation of agriculture. Granite State FFA Association, Massachusetts FFA Association, Maine FFA Association, New Jersey Agricultural Society, New Jersey Junior Breeders, New York State 4-H Animal Science, Roots Rising, Somerset County 4-H Association and the University of Connecticut received funding for leadership development and education programs. Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming, Seed to Seed Farm School and Sunrider Ranch & Cultural Center were awarded grant funds to provide support for beginning farmers.

Additionally, grants were awarded to programs promoting Northeast agriculture, forestry and fishing including, Maine Agriculture in the Classroom, New Jersey Agriculture in the Classroom, Northeast Cooperative Council and Teaching Artists ROC. FocusMaine and Poma Tech Consulting were awarded funding to enhance economic viability in Northeast agriculture.

The Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program was created in 1996 to support projects that promote and enhance the region’s agricultural community. Over the past 30 years, the program has provided more than $3.7 million in grant funding to 1,214 projects. Submissions for the next round of grant funding are due by April 1, 2026. Visit FarmCreditEast.com/AgEnhancement to learn more. 

###