John May Farm Safety Fund Eligibility Requirements Expanded to Help More Farms

What is new?
We have expanded our eligibility criteria to now include New York State dairy farms with up to 699 mature dairy cattle, as well as increasing the annual gross cash income to $349,999 for all farms.

About the program:
As the first program of its kind in New York State, this cost sharing program allows farmers to make lifesaving safety upgrades. “We’re excited to integrate this program into the portfolio of health and safety services we offer to the agricultural community,” says NYCAMH’s Director, Julie Sorensen. “The John May Safety Fund (JMFSF) fills a gap in services to small farms, where slim profit margins often make it difficult to do more than what is needed to keep the farm running every day.”

What kind of projects?
Any project that directly improves safety on the farm will be reviewed. Some examples include but are not limited to:

• The purchase and installation of equipment to improve animal handling safety
• Repairing or replacing broken or outdated machinery that poses a safety risk
• Repairing or replacing faulty electrical systems
• Making necessary changes to operations to become OSHA compliant
• Adding or replacing worn out safety signage

Who can apply?
The program is geared toward smaller farms of all commodities. Awardees must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Resident of New York State
• Active farmer (part-time or full-time)
• Annual gross cash farm income is $10,000 – $349,999 OR dairy farm has fewer than 700 mature dairy cattle.

Where to apply and how it works:
Applications to the program may be submitted at any time and may be obtained online at http://www.nycamh.org/programs/john-may-farm-safety-fund/, by calling NYCAMH at (800) 343-7527 (ask for the John May Farm Safety Fund) or emailing info@nycamh.org. The number of awards and the award amount will be determined by NYCAMH on a first-come, first-served bases.