The award comes from the Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program, an initiative funded in the state budget to help farms reduce their operational impact on the environment and address the impacts of extreme weather events resulting from climate change. Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, Chair of the Commission on Rural Resources, advocated for the funding to support the program.

Inverness Farms aims to improve soil health through no-till seeding technology; improving soil health by inter-seeding into a standing corn crop to establish a cover crop early in the growing season, reducing the impact of drought and flooding and reducing soil loss from erosion. The project will implement 53 acres per year of cover crops for three years.

“Time and time again we have seen how agriculture is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and it’s important that we invest in our local farms and help them prepare for the extreme weather events that have become more common in recent years,” Assemblyman Santabarbara said, Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources. “Despite the inequities they have faced, hardworking farmers in our rural communities have provided us with a safe and affordable food supply through these difficult times. These funds will help farms like Inverness Farm become environmentally sustainable by reducing their environmental impact, preserving farmland, increase productivity and saving on energy costs,” added Santabarbara. “As we work to rebuild our economy, farms like this will be an invaluable asset, providing the natural resources we all depend on not only for food, but also energy, water, and recreation.”

The Climate Resilient Farming Program supports the state's agricultural sector in meeting its goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Through five rounds of funding to date, the state has provided $12 million to assist farms across New York State. To date, greenhouse gases have been reduced by an estimated 90,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, or as much as eliminating nearly 20,000 cars from the road.