On Wednesday April 15, 2026 the House Committee on Ways and Means released its fiscal year 2027 budget proposal. The budget includes a number of important food system programs; $198 million for universal school meals, $29 million for the Healthy Incentives Program, another infusion of $14 million in the Disaster Relief and Resiliency Fund, [...]
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News coverage about the Healthy Incentives Program:
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An often-missed program is helping Mass. residents stretch vital food assistance further
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Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates $100 Million Milestone for Healthy Incentives Program
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At Red Fire Farm, its HIP — Healthy Incentives Program — to eat square meals
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Massachusetts healthy incentives program returns $100M to local farms
- Record number of Mass. residents don’t have enough healthy food to eat
- City of Boston news: The Healthy Incentives Program
- Our Opinion: For the benefit of the food-insecure and farmers alike, Legislature should fully restore the Healthy Incentives Program
- Organizations raise their concerns over upcoming cuts in fresh produce SNAP benefits
- ‘Heartbreaking’ cuts soon take effect for fresh produce program for low-income families
- Massachusetts farmers bracing for revenue losses due to cuts in fresh produce SNAP benefits
- MA farmers, families brace for cuts to fresh produce benefits
- Budget cuts to fresh produce program by the state legislature means emptier bellies for some Berkshire residents and farmers
- Farmers, families urge state lawmakers to restore food-access benefits
- Letter: Massachusetts should restore HIP funding
- NEPM: Local Hero Spotlight
- Valley Bounty: Benefit cuts threaten farm’s livelihood
- Philip Korman: HIP funding must be restored
- Minuscule cuts take big bite out of successful food program
- Public must join fight to save Mass. food program
- ‘It’s devastating’: Cuts to Mass. local produce program worry farmers, low-income residents
- My Turn: Stop the cuts to HIP and keep our communities fed
- Beacon Hill budgeting harms food assistance recipients
- Mass. farmers sound alarm about upcoming cuts to a fresh-produce SNAP benefit
- Cuts to food subsidies will hit low-income families
- Cuts to Mass. healthy-food program for low-income residents frustrate families, farmers
- Amid $10M gap, Healthy Incentives Program payouts to be reduced in December
- Cuts ahead for program that helps low-income Massachusetts residents eat healthy local veggies
- ‘A huge blow’: Funds for low-income residents to buy local produce will be cut significantly
- Food & Farm: A ‘HIP’ way to bolster food security
- Our View: Benefiting from the fruits of local labor
- Funding for Healthy Incentives Program restored
- Farm food benefits program revived
- State House backs $2M more for HIP program
- Local farm advocates for funding state Health Incentive Program
- Our view: Healthy food program needs more funding
- State suspending farm food benefits program
- Healthy Incentives Program worth year-round investment
- We must fund the Healthy Incentives Program
- State suspends HIP from Feb. 23 to May 15
- Healthy families and sustainable farms for every season
- Column: Healthy answer to food access depends on state funding
- My Turn: Local action can have an impact on food, farms and hunger
- Healthy Incentives Program extended through February
- Healthy Incentives Program will continue through February
- Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) to run on seasonal schedule for farmers market shoppers
- HIP to shut off benefits before Thanksgiving
- Speaker DeLeo Visits Revere Farmers Market to Celebrate Healthy Incentives Program
- No lapse in win-win app for farmers, low income families
- Our View: Solution needed to continue low-income program for farmers’ markets
- Low-Income Access To Fresh Produce In Massachusetts Snarled In Tech Problem
- Healthy Incentives Program restored in state budget
- Fresh-food program’s success cannot be its downfall
- Healthy incentives program went over its budget
- Our View: Healthy Incentives Program a success in multiple ways
- Funding for Healthy Incentives Program dries up
- Legislators seek more funds for Healthy Incentives Program
- State lawmakers vow to revive Healthy Incentives Program
- Hunger, health and local farmers
- Local pols hope to continue Healthy Incentives Program
- HIP replacement well worth the money
- HIP, a win-win for supporting local agriculture, deserves our support
- The Healthy Incentives Program is so popular, its future is now in doubt
- Hunger, health and local farmers
- Program matching SNAP dollars at farmer’s markets out of money this spring
- Future of Healthy Incentives Program uncertain
- Editorial: Healthy Incentives Program is far too important to let fail
- Of the Earth: A shot to the HIP
- Slashes may come to SNAP, HIP looking at suspension
- Rewards program encourages SNAP recipients to make healthy choices
- State should fund fresh-veggies budget
- State’s produce program for SNAP participants in jeopardy
- State program offering farm fresh food to SNAP recipients in jeopardy
- Fresh Food Program’s Success In Mass. Contributes To Its Demise
- More than $2.5 Million in HIP Incentives Earned
- Of the Earth: Hip takes on a whole new meaning
- Farmers’ markets hoping for busy winter season
- Improving health in Lynn, one farmer’s market at a time
- The HIP program: Making healthy eating affordable
- Lawmakers looking to increase access to healthy food for families on SNAP
- Lawrence farmers market expands as demand surges: New state subsidies of up to $80 a month triple sales
- Coastal Foodshed, Healthy Incentives Program work to provide more food access
- Farmers, families in need reap benefits from produce program
- Healthy Incentives Program: Off to a great start
- State and Local Officials Celebrate Start of Winter Farmers’ Market Season
- Better Access to Healthy, Local Foods for Thousands in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts commits $1.35 million to SNAP for farm food purchases
- SNAP credit will help the needy enjoy a farm-fresh diet
- In New Mass. SNAP Program, Local Fruit And Veggies Come With A Refund
Background information on the Healthy Incentives Program:
- Program infographic (image file, for social media links)
- Background on HIP
- Logic model of the benefits of HIP
- List of HIP eligible food
- FINI Trust: Additional Partner Matching Funds
- Food access and health in Massachusetts (image file, for social media links)
- Information from Farmers Market Coalition about food access
- Growth of Ethnic Groups and Food Stamps in Urban Areas of Massachusetts
The Healthy Incentives Program is an expansion of a very successful pilot program run in Hampden County in 2011-12.
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Regional Food Count 2022 released
The New England Food System Planners Partnership has just released the Regional Food Count 2022, shedding light on local food spending across New England. With $2.2 billion of the region’s $120.6 billion food expenditure going towards local products, there’s a huge opportunity for growth. This report is crucial in the journey towards a more resilient and self-sufficient food system.
Want to know more? Click here to dive into the details and see how you can support the goal of 30% local food consumption by 2030.
How You Can Help in Massachusetts?
–Grocery Stores: Showcase local products!
-Restaurants: Feature local ingredients!
-Consumers: Choose local eg: Mass Grown…And Fresher whenever you can!Let’s support Massachusetts’ food economy together! For more information, please email kristina@mafoodsystem.org.
#FoodEconomy #SupportLocal #NewEngland #Sustainability #FoodPolicy #RegionalFood #Community #NEFNE #NewEnglandFeedingNewEngland
Call to action: Contact representatives to support food system amendments!
This week the MA House of Representatives is considering H.4789, an economic development bond bill. Please call your representatives by THURSDAY (6/27/24) and urge them to support five amendments that would provide needed support for the Commonwealth’s local food system. Find your representative’s contact information here.
- Amendment 62 – filed by Rep. Schmid – would allow the state’s Department of Agricultural Resources to buy, protect, and sell farmland, which is a key authority change to further the goals of the state’s Farmland Action Plan, and prevent further farmland loss. According to the 2022 Agricultural Census, the Commonwealth lost 27,000 acres of farmland from 2017-2022.
- Amendment 63 – filed by Rep. Schmid – would add the Department of Fish and Game to Mass. Food Policy Council. This agency includes the Division of Marine Fisheries, Massachusetts is a national leader in seafood landings, and it is important that this sector of the state’s food system be represented on the Council.
- Amendment 65 – filed by Rep. Schmid – clarifies the definition of agritourism.
- Amendment 495 – filed by Rep. Blais – would add a staff coordinator position to the Mass. Food Policy Council, subject to appropriation. This coordinator would serve in an advisory capacity to all agencies to coordinate and inventory food programs, and develop and track metrics related to food system goals.
- Amendment 539 – filed by Rep. Blais – creates a next generation farmer fund, funded by the workforce development trust fund annually with $3 million for grants to higher education institutions, vocational technical schools, and community based organizations that provide workforce development training to new farmers.
Contact rebecca@mafoodsystem.org with any questions.
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