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
