News

The Senate is now considering amendments to the FY2023 budget, including the amendment to provide a grant program for food policy councils. Please email or call your senators by this Friday and ask them to co-sponsor Amendment #34. We have created this one-pager about some of the wonderful work that food policy councils have done around the state. Here is a script: Hello Senator —,  My […]

The Collaborative works to build the capacity of local food system stakeholders to engage in state level policy to build a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system. Advocacy describes a broad range of activities; from sending an email or signing on to a group letter, to learning how to speak with legislators and meeting […]

The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed its budget on April 27. It includes many investments that reflect advocacy on the part of food system stakeholders, including funding for a full year of universal school meals, support for Buy Local organizations and MEFAP, and a commitment to continue funding HIP program growth. Numerous amendments were filed […]

The House Committee on Ways and Means introduced its budget proposal on April 13. There were many proposed investments that reflect advocacy on the part of food system stakeholders, including funding for a full year of universal school meals, support for Buy Local organizations and MEFAP, and a commitment to continue funding HIP program growth. […]

Participate in upcoming online listening sessions Massachusetts is developing its plan to address climate change, and farmers need to provide input to ensure that the plan fairly represents the needs of agriculture and the role that farmers can play in helping the state meet its goals. Four listening sessions will be held over the next […]

Please join us at a Listening Session to provide input for the development of the MA Farmland Action Plan. The purpose of the MA Farmland Action plan is to develop state level goals and recommendations for increasing farmland protection, farmland access, food security, and the long-term economic and environmental viability of farms across all regions […]

On Tuesday, Governor Baker proudly proclaimed in his State of the Commonwealth Address: “Our food insecurity programs served millions of residents across the Commonwealth and brought together partners and providers, ranging from foundations to farmers’ markets to food banks. The knowledge gained has created new, permanent investments and better approaches to supplying and distributing food […]

The 2021 MA Food System Forum was held December 3-9. Hundreds of food system stakeholders participated in discussions focused on how the various parts of the food system intersect and support each other, how they sometimes put pressure on each other, and how stakeholder work can help the local food system be more sustainable, equitable, […]

The 2021 MA Food System Forum was held December 3-9. Hundreds of food system stakeholders participated in discussions focused on how the various parts of the food system intersect and support each other, how they sometimes put pressure on each other, and how stakeholder work can help the local food system be more sustainable, equitable, […]

Since September 2020, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has organized a task force, representing all its agencies, to develop a strategic Environmental Justice Plan that addresses equity and equality, with regards to resources, language access and communication. MDAR is committed to identifying how we can implement and promote environmental justice principles through […]