NY Farm Viability Institute (http://www.nyfvi.org/) is an independent, farmer-led nonprofit organization that awards grant funds to projects that help farmers increase profits. They have funded various projects encouraging farmers to grow grasses and other crops for bioenergy-approximately ten projects within the last 3 years. They are also helping to launch the NY Biomass Energy Alliance (http://www.newyorkbiomass.org/)

In addition to other projects and new projects less closely related to our research, they are currently funding a project regarding the development of a commercial bioenergy market in NY State, involving Mesa Reduction Engineering & Processing. Mesa Reduction supports the renewable energy market by size reduction, harvesting, conveying, and storing various crops, such as those used for bioenergy. The project funded by NYFVI will facilitate commercial relationships between growers and buyers of feedstock for a co-firing power plant, including promoting production of bioenergy crops in upstate NY. NYFVI began funding the project at the end of 2008, and will fund it through December, 2010.