Food Justice Program, Pantry Garden Earn Agriculture Grant

BEDFORD HILLS, NY — The food pantry farm garden at the Sugar Hill Farm headquarters of Westchester Land Trust and the organization’s food justice advocacy got a boost this week in the form of a grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture.

The group was awarded a $11,030 grant to help fund the programs aimed at fighting food insecurity in the Hudson Valley.

Westchester Land Trust works with local food banks to grow and distribute an average of 8,000 servings of fresh produce each year to families in need in Westchester. The land trust currently works with the Community Center of Northern Westchester.

The farm garden is managed by Allison Turcan, founder of DIG Farm. Westchester Land Trust staff and volunteers plant, weed, harvest, and package the food grown at Sugar Hill Farm and deliver it to the food bank.

“Food insecurity affects many people in our community and this grant will help support the work we’re doing to strengthen our local food systems,” Westchester Land Trust VP Kara Whelan said. “Providing fresh food to our neighbors, increasing access to agricultural lands for local farmers, and giving people hands-on experience in sustainable farming techniques are all a part of that work. But it doesn’t stop there; we’re dedicated to listening to our communities and identifying how we can best meet their needs.”

The grant is expected to allow the gardens at Sugar Hill Farm to expand to meet the increased need for produce, allow for greater food variety and leverage existing farm infrastructure to reduce the cost per serving to produce.

In addition to growing food, Westchester Land Trust advocates to protect farmland from the risk of development. Approximately 20 percent of the nearly 9,000 acres that the organization has preserved are agricultural lands. Through its food justice efforts, the Westchester Land Trust works with local farmers and landowners to facilitate farmland match opportunities and is also exploring ways to put land into production for urban and non-traditional farms.

“We’re grateful to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for recognizing the potential of Westchester Land Trust’s food pantry garden and food justice program,” Whelan said. “The work to create a stronger, more equitable food system for our community must be led by our community, and this grant will help ensure that happens.”