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AEIDP Grant Awardees

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AEIDP Grant Awardees

WALTON, NY, July 8, 2026 — The Watershed Agricultural Council is pleased to announce the grant recipients through the Agricultural Environmental Innovation Demonstration Program (AEIDP), a competitive grant initiative designed to support innovative agricultural technologies and practices that advance air and water quality protection and farm viability throughout New York City’s West-of-Hudson Watershed.

Established and funded by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, in coordination with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, to directly support the farming community, the AEIDP provides opportunities to watershed farms seeking to implement and demonstrate emerging technologies, innovative equipment, and management approaches with the potential to improve environmental outcomes while strengthening farm operations.

A total of $1.34 million was awarded to participating farms through a highly competitive application process. Projects were evaluated by an independent review committee based on environmental benefits, innovation, demonstration value, feasibility, farm viability, and opportunities to generate knowledge that can benefit the broader agricultural community.

The program includes funding across three categories:

  • Soil Health and Cover Crop Equipment: Supporting technologies that improve soil health, reduce erosion, and enhance nutrient management.
  • Agricultural Drones and Custom Services: Expanding the use of precision agricultural and aerial technology for agricultural applications.
  • Innovative Equipment and Precision Agriculture Technology: Advancing new approaches that improve environmental performance, operational efficiency, and long-term farm sustainability.

The Watershed Agricultural Council is partnering with Cornell University’s Farmers DataLab to support project evaluation, monitoring, and demonstration activities. Over the next several years, participating farms will work with WAC and Cornell researchers to document project outcomes and share lessons learned with other producers throughout the region.

The 2026 Agricultural Environmental Innovation Demonstration Program awardees are:

Soil Health and Cover Crop Equipment

  • Berry Brook Farm (Patrick Hennebery) – Maschio Tigre Flail Mulcher
  • LBJ Farms (Steve Bishop) – Great Plains 1006NT No-Till Drill
  • Potter Family Ranch (Joe & Meghan Potter) – Land Pride 1006NT No-Till Drill
  • Clark Farms, LLC (Kyle & Tom Clark) – Hiniker 7040 Interseeder
  • Brookside Farm (Karl Gockel Jr.) – Esch 5610 No-Till Drill
  • Thunder View Farms, LLC (Ric Coombe) – Ranchworkx SC Aerator

Agricultural Drone Purchases for Farmer Pilots (Maximum of 3 farms awarded)

  • Clark Farms, LLC (Kyle & Tom Clark) – EAVision J70 Drone with liquid and dry payload hoppers
  • Gladstone Farms (Bud & Suzanne Gladstone, Jason & Chelsea Guy) – DJI T100 with liquid and dry payload hoppers
  • SRJF, Inc. (Frank & Marc Albano) – DJI T100 with liquid and dry spreader payload hoppers

Agricultural Drone Custom Services

  • Rich-Nan Farm (Richard & Nancy LaTourette) – 217.2 acres over 3 seasons
  • Potter Family Ranch (Joseph & Meghan Potter) – 480 acres over 3 seasons
  • Humdinger Holsteins (Holdridge Family) – 368.4 acres over 3 seasons
  • Neljean Farm (Jim & Joyce Gray) – 222 acres over 3 seasons

Innovative Equipment and Precision Agriculture Technology

  • Berry Brook Farm (Patrick Hennebery) – Garford Robocrop Rear Mount Interrow Hoe and Fertilizer Spreader
  •  Humdinger Holsteins (Holdridge Family) – Kuhn Mixer, X-NIR Handheld Analyzer, Wearable Cow Collars
  • Pinyvale Farm (Allen McClure) – Fence and Tree Row Side Trim Mower/s
  • Del-Rose Farm (Hanselman Family) – Generic Rate Control System with Topcon Console
  • Pepacton Farms (Molly Brannen & Preston Post) – CMC ST 300 Compost Turner with Monitoring System
  • Clark Farms, LLC (Kyle & Tom Clark) – New Holland Yield Monitoring System
  • Mushkoday Farm, LLC (Larry Burgin) – Dairy Power (DP) Smart Manure Aeration System
  • Tir na nOg Farm (Dan & Helen Flaherty) – NoFence Remote Grazing Collar System (Sheep and Dairy Heifers)
  • Shadow Valley Farm (Michelle Somers) – NoFence Remote Grazing Collar System (Dairy Cattle)
  • Teufold Farm (Salvatore Grasso) – NoFence Remote Grazing Collar System (Sheep & Goat)
  • Isaac McCormick Farm, LLC (Colm Ryan) – Remote Grazing Collar System (Beef Cattle)
  • Stony Creek Farmstead, LLC (Dan & Kate Marsiglio) – NoFence Remote Grazing Collar System (Beef Cattle & Sheep)
  • Dar-View Farm (James Darling) – Precision Corn Planting System and Dry Fertilizer Rate Control Retrofit w/ Ag Leader autosteer and console
  • Neljean Farm (Jim & Joyce Gray) – Smaxtrec Bolus Health Monitoring System
  • Sco-Gail Farm (Hymers Family) – Hardie Boom Sprayer with John Deere GPS Kit
  • Lucky Dog Organic, LLC (Kalan Joslin)- Electric Cultivating Tractor with Weed Basket
  • Burn Ayre Farm, LLC (Kevin & Kathy Sullivan) – NoFence Remote Grazing Collar System (Beef Cattle)
  • The Davis Farm (Morgan Spaulding) – Robotic Broiler Barn and Water Tank Trailer
  • Brookside Farm (Karl Gockel Jr.) – GallagherRemote Grazing Fencing System (Beef Cattle)
  • Walterna Holsteins, LLC (Fred Kuhn) – SmaXtrec Bolus Health Monitoring System
  • Thunder View Farms, LLC (Ric Coombe) – NoFence Remote Grazing Fencing System (Beef Cattle)
  • SRJF, Inc. (Frank & Marc Albano) – DairyMaster In Parlor Feeder System with voice alert

“We are excited to support farmers who are willing to test and demonstrate innovative approaches that can strengthen both environmental stewardship and agricultural viability,” said Connor Young, WAC Agricultural Program Manager. “These projects represent an investment in the future of watershed agriculture and will help generate valuable information that can benefit farms across the region.”

WAC extends its appreciation to the New York State Office of the Attorney General for establishing and funding this initiative and to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for its ongoing partnership. The Watershed Agricultural Council also thanks the independent review committee members, participating farmers, Cornell University’s Farmers DataLab, and agricultural partners who contributed to the development and implementation of this program.

For more information about the Agricultural Environmental Innovation Demonstration Program, please contact the Watershed Agricultural Council at agprogram@nycwatershed.org.

 

 

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