The Patrick-Murray administration announced 43 grants totaling $662,000 for projects that will help farmers mitigate or prevent negative impacts to natural resources from agricultural practices.

Awarded through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ (DAR) Agricultural Environmental Enhancement Program (AEEP) grants went to farms in the towns of Ashfield, Barnstable, Bernardston, Carlisle, Carver, Conway, Deerfield, Duxbury, East Longmeadow, Egremont, Hadley, Harvard, Harwich, Ipswich, Lakeville, Leominster, Middleboro, Middleborough, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, South Carver, Sudbury, Wareham, West Brookfield, West Wareham, Williamsburg, and Worthington. These grants will fund projects such as insulation for winter crop storage, photovoltaic systems, and wastewater treatment systems.

AEEP funds water quality programs and practices that promote energy efficiency, water conservation, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Farmers selected to participate are reimbursed for the approved costs of materials up to $30,000.

AEEP has funded 288 projects statewide since 1999, providing growers and producers more than $3 million to address environmental concerns on their farms. To be eligible for AEEP funds, growers’ property must consist of at least five contiguous acres of land under the same ownership and be actively devoted to agricultural or horticultural use, have at least three acres in bog production, or have at least 5,000 square feet under greenhouse production. Aquaculture operations must possess a current valid shellfish aquaculture license.

Grant awardees in Middleboro include:

  • Jeffrey Erickson: $10,000 for an auto start, remotely controlled, solar powered computer activated irrigation system
  • Estate of G. Dodge: $8,212 for an auto start, remotely controlled, solar powered computer activated irrigation system
  • Robert Leronimo: $12,262 for an auto irrigation system and pump
  • W.J.M. Cranberries: $14,509 for an irrigation pump and for a remotely controlled, solar powered computer activated irrigation system
  • Doyle Cranberry: $8,439 for a remotely controlled, solar powered computer activated irrigation system
  • Chop Chaque: $10,000 for a remotely controlled, solar powered computer activated irrigation system.

More information about these grants can be found in the January 21, 2010 edition of The Boston Globe.

Source: States News Service, January 8, 2009