Blog

On February 11, 2026, leaders from the Massachusetts Local Food Policy Council Network convened at Community Harvest Project in Grafton, MA for the second annual Local Food Policy Council Summit. Attendees represented 16 active food policy councils and food working groups from around the state. We reflected on the role and work of LFPC’s in 2025, brainstormed partnerships to support food system change work, and explored storytelling approaches for education and advocacy. 

Plenary Sessions

Scaling the Elephant of the Federal SNAP Cuts: Advocacy Tools to Help Minimize Impact on Massachusetts Households – Slides

Fostering Agricultural Resilience in Massachusetts, a legislative panel on supporting farmers in the 21st century – Slides

Morning Sessions

Building Resilient Seafood Systems: Strategies for a Stronger Massachusetts Food Future – Notes | Slides 1 | Slides 2
Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives’ Association, Chatham Harvesters Cooperative, Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust, Fishing Partnership Support Services, MA Division of Marine Fisheries

Building Local Food Security: How public investment can strengthen farm and food system resilience – Notes | Slides
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)

Empowering the Youth: Connecting with the land, Connecting with our food – Notes | Slides
The Farm School, Green City Growers

HIP Messaging – Notes
Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)

Increasing HIP Utilization via Innovative Partnerships – Notes | Slides
Coastal Foodshed

From Barns to Bodegas: Why Independent Food Retail is a Key Component of Food Access – Notes | Slides
Franklin County CDC, LEAF Fund, Massachusetts Food Trust Program, Fruit Fair

The Massachusetts Farm Energy Program: Real Farm Stories of Efficiency and Renewable Energy – Notes | Slides
Center for EcoTechnology

Measuring Impact: State PreK- 12 Investment and The Future of Food Literacy – Notes | Slides
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Mass Farm to School, John Stalker Institute, Educators

From Competition to Collaboration: Transforming Emergency Food Systems Through Radical Partnership – Notes | Slides
Food Link, Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative, YMCA of Greater Boston

Scaling Local Food through Shared Infrastructure: Meat Processing & Turning Crops into Value-Added Products – Notes | Slides (Meat Processing) | Slides (Value-Added Products)
Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, Franklin County CDC Western MA Food Processing Center

A Tale of Two Ditches: Navigating the Maintenance of a Neglected Agricultural Ditch – Notes | Slides
CISA, Town of Amherst, Fleetwood Environmental Solutions, USDA-NRCS

The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative invites all local food system partners to a rally on the State House steps from 12 – 1pm on Tuesday October 28, in response to the ongoing federal shutdown’s impacts on SNAP and other federal nutrition programs.

Please arrive at noon for the speaking program to begin at 12:15. We will rally and hold a press availability on the steps (image of the steps on Beacon Street in Boston below), and urge government to act quickly to ensure families get November SNAP on time.

The Trump Administration should act immediately to fully fund SNAP for November – USDA has emergency funds intended for this exact situation. If the federal government fails to do this quickly, then Massachusetts must step up and use state resources, for example by tapping the estimated $8 billion Rainy Day Fund, to fund SNAP in November.

SNAP benefits remain available and people should continue to apply – for more information on what’s happening now, please visit this MLRI resource.

Please RSVP here, and join us on Tuesday.