News

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) has proposed composting regulations that, if adopted as written, would be detrimental to the sustainability of farms that rely on their composting operations for revenue or soil building/fertility as well as adaptation to climate change. Details about the proposed changes are here.  Our overall concerns with the proposed […]

Lack of access to affordable land is routinely cited by aspiring and established farmers alike as a primary challenge to entry and expansion. Since the 1940’s farmland has been steadily converted to other uses and regrown into New England forest, creating a patchwork of separate small parcels of farmland and former farmland. Many of these […]

There are at least 120 bills in the current state legislative session that address farm and fishing issues raised in the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan. The Collaborative has been working with our Agricultural network seeking stakeholder groups’ perspectives on these bills and engaging them in advocacy on bills supported by the Plan. We have […]

Two bills that modify chapter 61A that would provide short term tax relief to farmers when repairing or constructing a broad array of structures and buildings on farmland are being considered by the Joint Committee on Revenue.  Chapter 61A involves a yearly application process to reduce property taxes of active farmland in exchange for giving […]

The Collaborative continues to work with our Ag Network and other groups and organizations on climate change and its impact on farmers and fishermen. We were fortunate to be able to participate in the recent workgroup on climate change and resiliency organized to provide input and recommendations to the Rural Policy Advisory Commission’s draft Rural Policy […]

Innovative state program has provided more than $10 million in healthy food for low-income families Families across Massachusetts will have better access to fresh, healthy, local produce, and farmers will be able to sell more of what they grow, now that Governor Baker has signed Massachusetts’ fiscal year 2020 budget, which includes $6.5 million for […]

Our June newsletter includes updates on our projects, an introduction of our new Steering Committee Members, a Save the Date for the 3rd Annual MA Food System Forum, and more. Read it here. 

As a follow up to the Collaborative’s March gathering to discuss how to support farmers in climate change mitigation and remediation, we asked meeting attendees to rank the importance of the 30 land and farming recommendation summaries from the MA Local Food Action Plan related to helping farmers and fishermen cope with climate change. These […]

The Campaign for HIP Funding has started off the 2019 budget cycle in full force, with tremendous support from legislators, a great lobby day, and the development of some new tools for advocates. The campaign steering committee has developed a $8.5 million ask for HIP in FY20. This will be enough funding to operate the […]

Our March newsletter includes updates on the Campaign for HIP Funding; our work on food waste, climate change, and farmland access; legislation we're tracking; and more! Read it here.