ALBANY - $3.6 million in state funding awarded through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) process will be used to create food distribution hubs across the state. Four new facilities will be funded in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, and the North Country, in addition to an earlier food hub project on Long Island, creating more than 150 jobs in these regions and increasing access to healthy, local products for New York consumers.

“These four new food distribution hubs are an important investment in our state’s agricultural sector and economy,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “Not only will more than 150 jobs be created through these new projects, the hubs will also be essential resources for local farmers by providing services like branding, processing and storage. Above all, they will help distribute products, expanding consumer markets for New York farmers while improving access to healthy, fresh and locally-produced food for our families – a real win-win for the state.”

State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine said, “When New Yorkers buy local products, they stimulate local economies and help provide jobs for their neighbors. Food hubs provide a valuable service in helping to bring local products to market and I thank Governor Cuomo for making this important funding available.”

These investments mark yet another step of the Governor’s “Farm New York” program, a comprehensive strategy to maximize investment in the agricultural sector of New York’s economy. It includes programs to develop New York’s regional farm-food system, increase access to credit for farm businesses, expand food processing capabilities, and capitalize on emerging technologies to lower energy costs.

Four new facilities will be funded in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, the Hudson Valley and the North Country regions. These facilities complement an earlier food hub project on Long Island. More than 150 jobs will be created in the various regions.

• Growing Upstate Food Hub, Central New York
  More than $1.5 million in CFA funding will go toward Growing Upstate Food Hub located in Canastota, Madison County.
• Finger Lakes Food Hub
  $450,000 in CFA funding will go toward the Finger Lakes Food Hub, which will be a 25,200 square foot facility built in the Village of Groton.
• Hudson Valley Food Hub
  More than $826,000 in CFA funding will go toward the Hudson Valley Food Hub, which will be located in Kingston. This project will expand the infrastructure of two successful food processing and distribution firms that serve New York State farms: Farm to Table Co-Packers and Hudson Valley Harvest.
• North Country Food Hub
  $350,000 in CFA funding will go toward the North Country Food Hub. United Helpers Management Company will establish a regional food hub and network in Canton.
• Agriculture Enterprise Park Capital, Long Island
  $500,000 in CFA funding is going toward this project. Agriculture Enterprise Park operates a processing plant in Riverhead, Suffolk County. The new facility is a public/private arrangement with multiple partners who received a $500,000 grant from the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council in 2012.

New York ranks second in the nation in the production of cabbage, apples and maple syrup; third in the production of wine and grape juice, and corn silage; fourth in the production of milk; and fifth in fresh market vegetable production. Governor Cuomo is focused on developing New York’s agricultural industry, including improving opportunities for marketing, food manufacturing, wineries, breweries, distilleries, dairy farm growth and dairy processing growth.