Sustainable Agriculture

The Foundation began work in 2010 to identify ways to support local farms and farmers in New York State and to increase the amount of nutritious, locally produced food served in New York City school meals. Without a concerted effort to protect local farmland, empower a new generation of local farmers and provide both nutrition education and local food to our children, New York will sacrifice a vital element of its history, culture and economy. There are four specific goals for our Sustainable Agriculture grants:

• Preserving land for farm production in Suffolk County and the Hudson River Valley

• Helping farmers receive the business and agricultural training, capital access and public advocacy they need to be successful

• Supporting programs that educate schoolchildren and their families about the benefits of growing and eating nutritious, local food

• Eliminating the systemic barriers that prevent local food producers from distributing to city-based institutions such as schools, community centers and health care facilities