Overview
The Department invites eligible organizations to apply for community garden soil testing through the New York State Community Gardens Soil Testing Program. A total funding amount of $40,000 is available to process up to 800 soil tests.
Soil testing is a quick and accurate method to determine the relative acidity of the soil, the level of several essential nutrients, as well as the presence of heavy metals. Soil test results can be a helpful tool for farmers and gardeners in determining plant selection, soil preparation, and fertilization to optimize the growth of their crops. Technical support and education for participating growers will be provided by garden specialists from Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York to help gardeners interpret the results and provide recommendations to amend and support their soils for the best food production outcomes.
Apply
Eligible applicants include food-producing community gardens in New York State. Individual community growers are eligible to apply.
Applications will be accepted from March 13, 2024, until funding is exhausted. All interested applicants must email the PDF application and proof of eligibility documents to: [email protected] with the subject: “2024 Community Gardens Soil Test Application”.
Questions regarding this program should be submitted to:
Kendall Hough
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
55 Hanson Place Brooklyn, NY 11217
E-mail: [email protected]
Helpful Resources
An informational webinar with information about the program, how to apply, and eligibility requirements will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 12 p.m. A recording of the webinar is available here.