Major Milestones for JMFSF:
500 Projects Completed, $2 Million Invested
Sept. 4, 2026 (FLY CREEK, NY) – The John May Farm Safety Fund was established in 2015 to help farmers in New York make safety improvements in their operations. Over the past decade, the fund has become a signature program of NYCAMH, recently celebrating two significant milestones: 500 projects completed and $2 million invested.
The recipient of the program’s 500th completed project, Cortland County beef farmer Chuck Doran, stating “[We] appreciate you helping with this process and are very appreciated that there is a program like yours that helps the farmers keep trying to do their jobs in a safe manner as well as helping the cows in a less stressful manner.” Mr. Doran is a two-time awardee, also receiving funding towards an animal handling safety upgrade in 2019. His project this year help complete the beef animal handling system so that he and his family can safety provide routine health checks, administer vaccinations, and move cattle more safely while reducing stress on the worker and the animal.
A long-standing family beef farm in Steuben County was awarded the $2 millionth in June. Mark and Jody Applebee have been farming for nearly 40 years and with the support of the John May Farm Safety Fund, they transformed their cattle handling system to include safer equipment as they continue to grow their operation. The new set up alleviates stress on the farmer and the animals for years to come.
These milestones represent a glimpse at the impact the John May Farm Safety Fund has made over the years. Named in honor of one of NYCAMH’s founders, Dr. John May, the fund recognizes his decades of dedication to agricultural communities by investing in the health and safety of everyone on the farm. It was created in response to a common challenge: financial barriers to fixing known safety hazards. Farmers recognized the need for a safer workplace, but limited resources, such as narrow profit margins, made it difficult to prioritize these investments.
To bridge that gap, the fund provides monetary awards (up to $5,000) to help make essential safety upgrades more affordable and achievable. From livestock handling improvements and slip-resistant surfaces to electrical upgrades and emergency preparedness, the fund has helped hundreds of farms improve workplace safety, reduce risks for workers and family members, and make meaningful investments in the future of their operations.
In the early years, the fund was supported entirely by donations through Friends of Bassett, as well as grants from regional foundation. Those initial donors helped establish a strong foundation for the fund as it stands today and enabled NYCAMH to strengthen its roots within New York’s agricultural communities. Today, the fund also receives designated support from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Dr. May sought to improve the wellbeing of farmers and farmworkers, as well as advocate for practical solutions to safety challenges faced by agricultural communities. Through the John May Farm Safety Fund, NYCAMH will continue doing that and more for decades yet to come.
The John May Farm Safety Fund is accepting applications for upgrades that improve worker safety on farms. To apply or learn more, visit nycamh.org/FarmSafetyFund, or get in touch by emailing JMFSF@bassett.org or calling 607-547-6023.
