ALBANY – Another $285,000 in funding was announced Monday for the third year of the “FreshConnect” program, which brings fresh food from New York farms to underserved communities throughout the state. The FreshConnect program assists New York farmers by increasing the sale of locally-grown food products while improving nutrition and promoting economic development around the state through projects like youth markets, delivery of products to low-income housing facilities, and new initiatives at traditional farmers’ markets.

“The FreshConnect program has been a real success in promoting healthy living while supporting the State’s vibrant agricultural industry,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “This year, the program will provide even more avenues for low-income New Yorkers to purchase affordable, healthy, and locally-grown food. We are also continuing to support more marketplaces where local farmers can sell their goods and expand their operations. Through this program, more New Yorkers can eat healthy and New York farmers can sell more products – that is what FreshConnect is all about.”

Launched in 2011, the FreshConnect program is designed to foster new farmers’ markets and support existing markets that provide fresh produce to high-need areas throughout the state. In some areas, the program serves rural or urban populations that do not have sufficient access to grocery stores; in others, it provides low-income, high-unemployment neighborhoods with healthy, New York-grown produce, as well as local jobs.