The MA Food System Collaborative and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) are members of the New England Food System Planners Partnership (NEFSPP), a collaboration between seven state-level food system organizations and representatives from the six-state agricultural, economic and environmental departments in New England.
New England Feeding New England (NEFNE) is the Partnership’s primary initiative and aims to have 30 percent of the food produced in New England consumed in the region by 2030. The goal is to mobilize our networks to impact local and regional food supply chains, and strengthen and grow the New England regional food system. For more information about the regional project see nefoodsystemplanners.org.
Find the full NEFNE report here.
Read the Massachusetts state brief here, published in fall 2023.
Please read the state brief and think about ways it could apply to your own work!
Local Food Count
The Local Food Count is part of the New England Feeding New England (NEFNE) initiative, which aims to strengthen the region’s food system and increase local food sourcing. The Local Food Count helps to identify purchasing patterns and uncover opportunities to grow local food procurement across the region.
On January 1, 2026, the Local Food Count will ask institutions, restaurants, retail-grocers, food hubs and distributers to identify how much local foods they are buying in comparison to foods from outside of New England. All data submitted will be kept confidential and used only in aggregate to inform regional planning. Food related establishments are encouraged to take a pledge to confirm their commitment to the Local Food Count. Pledge materials, prep worksheets, and past results are available online to help get ready for data collection in January 2026, with results shared later in the year.
For more information please contact Kristina Pechulis at kristina@mafoodsystem.org