Two Dutchess County farms won grants from the the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced Nov. 3. The program "to create new products and improve their marketing strategy to raise brand awareness and increase sales" doled out $2,279,655 to New York farms, included $49,000 for Organic Indoor Gardens Of Poughkeepsie, and $53,625 for Fishkill Farms. “Fishkill Farms is thrilled to have our Heritage Cidery project recognized by the USDA for its significance with the 2016 VAPG grant award. We're excited to embark on the research, planning, and product development that will lay the foundation for a world-class cidery and tasting room on the farm, producing a distinctive craft cider with our own organic and sustainably-grown fruit,” said Josh Morgenthau, Owner of Fishkill Farms.