Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) is promoting a pair of grant programs aimed at boosting dairy farming in New York State. Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced the initiatives, which will double financial incentives for renewable bio-energy projects to reduce electricity costs and help dairy farmers develop plans for expansion and growth.

“Here, in Western New York, farming is an integral part of our economy and our way of life,” said Hawley. “These grant programs will help our dairy farmers continue to provide top-notch products and create the jobs that our region relies on. I commend Governor Cuomo for stepping up to the plate for our dairy farmers, and I encourage our local farmers to explore the benefits these grants can provide.”

The initiatives include the Anaerobic Digester Biogas-to-Electricity Program (ADG), which will double the maximum incentive amount from $1 million to up to $2 million per installation for farmers to install equipment on their farms that turns organic waste produced by cows into electricity, and the Dairy Acceleration Program (DAP), which will provide grants and coordinate funding and technical programs to help farmers interested in expanding their operations or increasing their efficiency.