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In late May, the Massachusetts Senate completed its budget debate, resulting in some budgetary wins for the local food system. The Senate budget includes $1,000,000 for food literacy, $250,000 for the local food policy council grant program, and funds the MDAR administrative budget at the same level as the House. Unfortunately, the Senate did not adopt an amendment from Senator Robyn Kennedy that would have added funding for replacement for stolen SNAP benefits, which federal funding ended for at the end of 2024.

Senate Ways and Means also increased the amount proposed for the Healthy Incentives Program to $25.4 million, up from the House’s $20 million and the Governor’s proposal of $18.8 million. The Collaborative thanks the Senate for their leadership, and urges the conference committee to support this amount for HIP in their proposal.

Senator Jamie Eldridge sponsored two amendments, 327 and 328, that would have provided state funding to replace the federally terminated Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and the Local Food for Schools Program (known locally as Northeast Food for Schools). These small but mighty programs connected historically disadvantaged farmers and food insecure residents, creating new market channels for farmers and increased food security for low income residents. The cancellation of these grant programs has hit hard, as farmers have already planted seed to prepare for the next expected round of funding, and the current round is expiring in June, right when many farmers’ markets and CSA programs are starting. You can watch Senator Eldridge’s speech supporting these amendments below, starting at the 21:19 mark.

Both chambers have appointed members to a conference committee to reconcile the House and Senate budgets for approval and submission to the Governor. The state’s fiscal year ends on June 30, after which a new budget will hopefully be in place. 

See our updated budget table below

More than 1,000 amendments have been introduced to the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Ways and Means draft Fiscal Year 2026 budget (S.3). Senators now have one week to review and consider these amendments before debating and voting on a final budget starts on May 19th.

Senators may choose to cosponsor as many amendments as they wish to show support for efforts that serve their communities. Your senator needs to hear from you about the items that are most important to you and your neighbors, so please take this opportunity to review the amendments in this email as well as others, and contact contact your senator by May 16th to let them know your priorities. You can use this template to reach out to your state senator.

Dozens of the filed amendments relate to Massachusetts’ food system, proposing investments in local programs and projects, as well as in statewide efforts. The Collaborative has prioritized four amendments:

#327. Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, $7,000,000, Senator Eldridge. Local Food Purchasing Assistance program would support a previously federally funded program that was suddenly terminated by the Trump administration earlier this spring. Administered by the MA Department of Agricultural Resources, the program would provide nonprofit food assistance organizations with funding to purchase food from local farmers and fishers, to distribute to food pantries and other food access sites. This would increase access to local food in the emergency food assistance system (which is also facing decimating cuts), continue a market channel for local producers, and reduce food insecurity.

#328. Local Food for Schools Program, $2,500,000, Senator Eldridge. Local Food For Schools would continue a previously federally funded program that was abruptly terminated by the Trump administration earlier this year. Administered by the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the program would provide K-12 schools and early education programs with additional funds to purchase local foods for use in school meal programs, increasing access to nourishing foods for all students while supporting our local farmers, fishers, and food producers.

#469. HIP Enabling legislation, no cost, Senator Tarr. This amendment mirrors the language in the HIP enabling bill (S.104 / H.222), which would enact the program into law permanently, and re-create a trust for program funds. We will continue to support the Senate Ways and Means’ proposal for $25.4 million for HIP during the next steps of the budget process.

#625. Food Literacy, $1,000,000, Senator Lewis. This funding would support DESE in expanding opportunities for students to learn about nutrition, culinary skills, and other food system issues via another level round of FRESH grants and district wellness policy development and implementation coaching.

These four amendments represent a significant boost to our food security, local economy, and the growth of a sustainable, equitable, resilient food system.