The Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program recently awarded grants totaling $32,360 to 16 organizations. The grants are intended to promote northeast agriculture. The recipients were:
New York Farm Bureau Young Farmers Program - $1,000 to support a leadership development conference to provide educational and motivational sessions for young farmers.
Down East Business Alliance - $1,000 to support workshops and speakers at the Maine Farmers’ Market Convention. The event provides direct marketing training for farmers and farmers’ market managers.
Vermont Holstein Association - $2,000 to support their Northeast Show Calf Summit in April. This event brings together over 150 youth from New England and New York to educate both farm and non-farm youth on animal agriculture and the selection and care of dairy heifers.
Harvest New England - $2,000 to support the 2011 Harvest New England Agricultural Marketing Conference & Trade Show. The funds will be used for speaker sponsorships. The focus and goal of the conference is to provide the participants with the tools and skills needed to increase markets for agricultural products and grow New England agriculture.
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA–VT) - $500 to support their Annual Winter Conference, which brings together nearly 1,500 organic farmers, to take part in a variety of workshops.
University of New Hampshire (UNH) Dairy Club - $3,500 to support the Northeast Student Affiliate Animal Agriculture Academic Triathlon. This event is expected to draw 160 animal science or agricultural college students from 13 colleges and universities in the Northeast.
New York Holstein Association - $1,000 to support their annual New York Spring Dairy Carousel which offers judging contests to develop leadership skills and increases knowledge of cattle.
Cornell Dairy Fellows Program - $5,000 to provide an in-depth understanding of the dairy industry for its current class of Fellows. Cornell Dairy Fellows is a comprehensive undergraduate program that is nationally recognized as one of the best training opportunities for students considering careers in the dairy industry.
Granite State Association of FFA - $1,000 to support a leadership training conference for high school students of agriculture. The weekend-long program will include sessions on goal setting, character development, teamwork, agricultural issues and leadership skills.
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) - $500 to support the NOFA-NY Winter Conference held in January. The conference will provide workshops on farm profitability and business planning, organic farming methods, marketing, and other topics.
Connecticut Agricultural Education Foundation - $3,000 to purchase selected books for educating about agriculture. This Ag Literacy program is in support of its mission of fostering awareness, understanding and a positive public perception of agriculture, and an appreciation of Connecticut’s agriculture and the food, fiber, flower and fuel system.
New York State Maple Producers Association - $1,500 for the Maple Producer’s Association Urban Youth Education project. This ongoing project brings local maple agriculture to the urban elementary/middle school students of New York City.
Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom - $2,860 to initiate a new effort for educators who are new to classroom teaching or who work in low-income urban communities. The new Agriculture in the Classroom scholarship initiative for teachers will promote an understanding of agriculture and develop connections from the farm to the classroom. The teachers will then educate children about modern day agriculture.
New Jersey Agricultural Society - $5,000 to support the New Jersey Agricultural Leadership Development Program which provides young farmers and agri-business professionals with the training and support to become leaders in the agricultural industry.
Northeast Livestock Exposition - $2,000 to support this group’s Youth Events segment of the Exposition which will focus on the variety of agricultural careers available to youth in the Northeast. Skill development, knowledge of the many facets of agri-business, leadership and teamwork skills are the focus of this three day event.
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH) - $500 to support their one-day Winter Conference to provide training, mentoring and resources to new and beginner farmers and the next generation of farmers; children and youth and those educators who have successfully integrated agriculture into academic curricula.
The Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program is a shared effort of Farm Credit East, Yankee Farm Credit, Farm Credit of Maine and CoBank. Grants are awarded in April, August and December each year. For 2010 the program awarded 41 grants totaling $92,160. Since its inception in 1996 the program has awarded 448 grants totaling $1.2 million.
