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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

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.

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 $100,000 for the Cliff Effect Pilot Program. 

The Senate budget funds the MDAR administrative budget at a similar level to the House for MDAR, but lowers the proposed amount for the Food Security Infrastructure Grant program to $10 million, from the Governor and House’s proposal of $25 million. 

The Senate also increased the amount proposed for the Healthy Incentives Program to $20 million, from the House’s $15 million and below the Governor’s full funding of $25 million. The Collaborative thanks the Senate for their leadership, and is also concerned that this amount will not be enough to ensure the program can continue to operate year-round without interruption, and serve more SNAP households that want to use this benefit. 

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, and our letter to the conference committee here.