A food processing and innovation hub planned for Warren County just got a $150,000 boost from the New Jersey Highlands Council to make sure the project meets expectations.

The regional planning agency announced last week that it awarded six grants to regional projects that aim to strengthen agricultural business development across Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties.

Projects selected this year propose introducing new crops to farmers, teaching new sustainable farming practices and other efforts aimed at positioning the Highlands to become an agricultural hub for the region and beyond, the council said.

“By equipping Highlands farmers with new and innovative ideas, we also ensure continued access to locally grown, healthy food, and we protect the supply of fresh, clean, drinkable water for 70% of all New Jerseyians.” Highlands Council Executive Director Ben Spinelli said.

Funding for The Northwest Jersey Food Processing and Innovation Center in Oxford Township would help planners prepare a preliminary design and budget to support and facilitate the construction of the center, project details state.

The Northwest Jersey Food Processing and Innovation Center is proposed for the former Covanta Warren Energy Resource Co. LLC center at 218 Mt Pisgah Ave.

The Covanta site shuttered operations as an incinerator and recycling center in 2019. Company executives cited the Warren County facility’s size and local market conditions as limiters to the site’s value as the reason for closing.

At its peak, Covanta Warren Energy Resource Co. LLC employed 39 and could process 550 tons of municipal solid waste a day, generating up to 13.5 megawatts of energy.

After the facility ceased operations, the township was forced into an economic conundrum, Oxford Township Business Manager Matt Hall said. The facility made up a large chunk of the township’s budget, but without it Oxford officials had to find a new way to generate revenue, he said.

“An idea that’s come to us recently — local farmers and small farming operations have become really popular in the area, but there are no animal processing facilities anywhere close to here,” he said. “The loss of the Covanta facility was economically difficult for the township. So, we want to see that facility put back into productive use.”

A timeline for the Northwest Jersey Food Processing and Innovation Center to begin operating hasn’t been set yet but Hall said the township plans to use it to process animal products from local farms.

Local farmers in Warren County already send their products to processing facilities, but most are located outside the region in South Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, Hall said.

“It hurts the bottom lines for many of the smaller, low-impact operations,” he said.

The Highlands grant will allow the municipality to perform a feasibility study that outlines the costs of opening and operating this sort of site. The study will also determine how many jobs the new plant will generate.

Here’s a summary of other projects awarded by the Highlands Council:

• Strengthening Sustainable Land Management Practices and Transportation at the City Green Farm at South Branch Preserve | City Green, Inc. | Award: $90,000

City Green, a nonprofit farming and gardening organization, is proposing to expand regenerative farming practices in Morris County. The funded project will increase production at City Green Farms at South Branch Preserve in Mount Olive Township, and result in the development of a farmer education program that focuses on teaching regenerative practices to the next generation of farmers.

• Using Regenerative Agriculture to Grow the Local Grain Economy in the NJ Highlands, various locations | Foodshed Alliance | Award: $92,840

The Foodshed Alliance, a non-profit farming organization, is proposing to create a program that will help farmers plant and harvest high-demand grains and then connect them to burgeoning markets for these products. At least 20 Highlands farmers are anticipated to participate in the program in its initial stages. Foodshed Alliance will create educational, training and networking tools for farmers and purchase mobile grain-processing equipment, which will be shared among participating farms.

• Operation Diversification: Adaptive Farm Stewardship Modeling, Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County | Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) of New Jersey | Award: $93,245

This project will take place at Provenance Farm in Tewksbury Township as well as on farms throughout the Highlands Region. Across a series of 11 fields, NOFA will conduct demonstrations of rotational grazing, increasing pasture diversity, and agroforestry via on-farm presentations, farmer-to-farmer training and networking events, and the development of technical and educational resources. The project aims to teach risk-averse farmers how to restore their land in a profitable and ecologically sustainable way.

• Building Resiliency and Supporting Sustainable Agriculture in the NJ Highlands through the River Friendly Farm Certification Program, Various Locations | North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development | Award: $90,000

The River Friendly Farm (RFF) Certification program promotes sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices by evaluating farms based on soil health, nutrient management, pest management, farmstead management, waterway protection, and water conservation. North Jersey RC&D proposes to expand the program to 24 Highlands farms over three years while increasing understanding and recognition of the RFF Certification program. In addition, the organization will participate in outreach events, create marketing materials, advertise, provide technical and financial assistance to Highlands farms, and increase awareness among farmers and consumers about sustainable agriculture practices.

• Transitioning Conventionally Farmed Land to Organic Management Practices in NJ Wildlife Management Areas (Supporting the Whittingham Pilot), Green Township, Sussex County| Ramapough Culture and Land Foundation of the Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Lunaape (Lenape) Nation | Award: $83,930

Located on 40 acres of NJDEP land in the Whittingham Wildlife Management Area, the Ramapough Culture and Land Foundation proposes to grow a consistent food supply of indigenous crops to support the Turtle Clan Food Sovereignty. The project will involve coordination with NJDEP to develop organic farming practices in accordance with policies for leased land in a Wildlife Management Area.