Berkshire Farms Awarded Farm Readiness Grants
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Farms in Adams, Pittsfield, Sheffield, and Lanesborough were all awarded Farm Readiness Grants to strengthen their core infrastructure and improve their operational efficiency.
Administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), the Climate Smart for Agriculture Program (CSAP) – Farm Readiness Grant is a competitive grant program that provides funding for installation-ready capital improvement projects to help farms become more efficient and reliable in their day-to-day operations.
In Adams:
- Ayrhill Farms Inc was awarded $30,800 for a compost spreader: Enhances nutrient management and soil health through the use of compost application equipment.
- Full Well Farm LLC was awarded $12,750 for BCS Tractor & Implements: Enhances soil health and field operations through the addition of small-scale cultivation equipment.
In Pittsfield:
- Edward Kirchner was awarded $2,000 for a weather station: Enhances farm decision-making through real-time weather monitoring equipment.
In Sheffield:
- Maple Shade Farm, Inc was awarded $50,000 for a No-Till Drill: Improves soil conservation and planting efficiency through no-till equipment.
- Pine Island Farm was awarded $50,000 for an Instant Milk Chiller: Improves milk quality and energy efficiency through rapid cooling technology.
- Twin Rivers Farm LLC was awarded $43,400 for a No-Till Drill: Supports soil conservation through reduced tillage practices.
In Lanesborough
- Red Shirt Farm LLC was awarded $24,000 for greenhouse controls: Improves climate control and production efficiency through automated greenhouse systems.
These grants are part of $1.6 million in grants to 63 agricultural businesses across Massachusetts.
"Massachusetts farmers work hard every day to keep fresh, local food on our tables, and we want to make sure they have the tools they need to succeed," said Governor Maura Healey. "These grants will help farms upgrade equipment, improve efficiency and strengthen their businesses so they can continue feeding communities across Massachusetts. We're excited to support another round of projects that will continue investing in the future of local agriculture."
The projects funded through this round of the program were selected through a competitive review process and were required to be commercially available, installation-ready, and capable of being fully completed within a short timeframe. In addition, applicants were required to demonstrate how the proposed investment would improve farm operations through enhanced efficiency, food safety, soil health, energy performance, compost management, resource conservation, or other measurable operational outcomes. Projects were evaluated based on readiness, feasibility, anticipated impacts, and alignment with program goals.
Eligible projects limited to installation-ready capital improvements within the program’s defined project areas, Energy Efficiency Retrofits, Monitoring and Precision Agriculture Equipment, Soil Health Equipment, Food Safety and Cold Storage Equipment, or Compost Equipment.
The CSAP program consolidates several grant categories—including Food Safety, Environmental, Energy, Composting, and Climate Resiliency—into one streamlined application. This approach helps farms access resources to improve long-term sustainability while contributing to the Commonwealth’s broader climate and food system goals.
