2026 MA Food System Forum

Please join us at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester for the 2026 Massachusetts Food System Forum on November 19, 2026!

As we approach the 2027-2028 legislative session, we will use this unique annual gathering opportunity as a space to dig into ongoing progress & challenges, and consider how to advance our shared priorities through policy & systems change in the coming years. Sessions will feature in depth discussion and group strategizing. Anticipated topics include:

• Farmland Protection, Access, and Succession
• Local Food & Food Security
• Furthering Agricultural Climate Resilience and Viability
• Food System Education & Youth Development
• Food Waste Prevention & Reduction

See additional details below. 

If you would like to make a donation to support the Forum, please donate here.

Tickets & Registration

Early Bird Tickets: $100 per ticket (until October 6, 2026)

Your ticket fee includes a locally sourced breakfast and lunch.

Free Registration

The MA Food System Collaborative is offering free registration for farmers, fishers, people with lived experience of food insecurity, and other individuals for whom the registration fee is a hardship and would otherwise not be able to attend.

The Collaborative appreciates our growing list of sponsors of the 2026 Forum including many who have consistently supported the event every year!

We are still recruiting sponsors to ensure that everyone who wants to come to the Forum can come without the ticket cost being a barrier. Interested in making a difference and exploring sponsorship? Email Kristina@mafoodsystem.org.

These details are subject to change. Updates will be made here as the event approaches.

Location: Holy Cross Hogan Campus Center, 1 College St, Worcester, MA 01610

Event Start: 8:00 AM (check-in, breakfast, networking)

Program Begins: 9:00 AM

Event End: 4:00 PM

Breakout Session Topics

Farmland Protection, Access, and Succession
Farms are integral to food production; therefore preserving land for agricultural use remains a top priority for the food system. This year, Massachusetts celebrated the 1000th farm property preserved through the state’s first in the nation Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program, with more than 75,000 acres of farmland preserved through the APR program alone. While this milestone is one to be celebrated, there is more work to be done, as thousands of acres of farmland have been lost during the same time period. MDAR, NRCS, the land trust community, municipalities, dedicated landowners and funders have been working hard to preserve farmland for decades, and thousands of acres preserved through other conservation programs. This track will explore farmland protection, access, and succession.

Local Food and Food Security
Despite significant investments over the last decade, a number of persistent barriers and federal cuts mean that rates of food insecurity have increased and remain distressingly high across Massachusetts. This track will explore approaches to reducing hunger and strengthening food security with a focus on access to local food. In the morning we will review progress related to nutrition assistance programs, urban agriculture/local food production, food security infrastructure, and the role of local food policy councils. In the afternoon, we will identify next steps to reduce hunger in MA through strengthened local food systems.

Furthering Agricultural Climate Resilience
The climate crisis continues to deeply affect local agricultural production, with disparate impacts across the Commonwealth, from floods, droughts, and urban heat island intensification. The morning session will explore how the local food system movement has won attention for resilience in our agricultural system over the last ten years. This includes the establishment of disaster relief programming, soil health policy, and successful organizing around bond funding. The afternoon session will explore next steps to increase support for new areas in climate resilience.

Food System Education and Youth Development
Some students learn about the food system in school but many do not have access to high quality food system education. This track will explore how food system education and youth development can prepare the next generation to navigate and contribute to the Massachusetts food system. The morning session will highlight current initiatives and successes related to food literacy and youth development, while the afternoon session will explore opportunities to strengthen career pathways, expand food system education, and support the next generation of food system leaders.

Food Waste Prevention & Reduction
Massachusetts is more than ten years into implementation of the organic waste ban, has expanded food rescue capacity across the state, and has seen creative approaches to preventing wasted food. However, there is still work to be done to achieve the state’s goal of 30% reduction of food waste by 2030 and strive towards zero waste. In the morning we will assess progress across multiple areas of food waste prevention & reduction including the waste ban, food rescue, composting, and school & household food waste reduction. We will consider what challenges and gaps persist for waste prevention and reduction/diversion. In the afternoon we will build on these conversations, identifying promising pathways to further prevent and reduce food waste in Massachusetts.