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The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative and the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards formed the Mobile Food Vendor Working Group in 2019 with representatives from several municipal health departments and inspectional services departments, and from UMass Extension and the Department of Public Health. The Working Group was created in response to a recommendation issued by the Working […]

Throughout the process of developing the food plan, many discussions focused on the balance between protecting public safety through health regulations, and supporting the growth and sustainability of farms and food businesses at all scales. Because of the complexity of this topic, the Plan did not attempt to resolve it, but rather offered a set […]

The Healthy Incentives Program is transforming families, farms, and communities. More than 100,000 families have used HIP, and more than 240 farmers grow and sell crops through the program. These are some of their stories. “We know we are helping the farmers as well. We support local farmers and businesses. If people don’t support farmers, […]

When asked about why she shops at the Regional Environmental Council farmers markets, Aliza is quick to bring the conversation to her two year old son, Killian. A regular at the winter markets, she began cooking with beets for the first time this year.  Aliza says, “There’s a lot of stuff at the market we […]

When asked about why he shops at farmers markets, Ilir says, “Quality is a must.”  Ilir shops at the Worcester Regional Environmental Council farmers markets for his family, including his wife and two children, ages six and three. He also frequently picks up produce for his father, who found out about the farmers market program […]

Anesti is a Farmers Market regular who shops weekly at REC Mobile Markets. Originally from a small town in southern Albania, Anesti has lived in Worcester for the past 22 years and just celebrated his anniversary of arriving to the United States. Prior to moving to Worcester, Anesti was a veterinarian who worked for over […]

Lang and Ngo bonded and became friends over their shared love of vegetables. Ngo moved to Worcester from Vietnam in 1996 and Lang arrived in 2007. They have been friends for the past ten years. They meet weekly at the Worcester Senior Center where they are both regular Regional Environmental Council mobile market customers. Staff […]

Dianna just re-enrolled in SNAP benefits after losing them for a time. But she hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to keeping up with the HIP program. “I found out about HIP from my mom, Kathy. She’s a huge advocate. She tells everyone about it and how it can help you stretch your food […]

Chris Kurth farms fifty acres in Sudbury, sells direct to consumers at farmers’ markets in greater Boston, and participates in the Healthy Incentives Program. When asked about his experience with the program, he credits it as the “single, best change that has happened to Siena Farms, in the last half-decade. My farm business is only […]

Phuong enjoys shopping at the farmers markets with her aunt, Lai. Phuong shops for her family of five, including her husband and three children, ages thirteen, eleven, and nine. She does most of the household cooking and is conscious of managing her family’s food budget. She notes the quality and price of local produce as […]