NOTE: this is an archived page of legislative activity from 2021-22. For current legislative activity, click here. The Massachusetts legislature is considering many bills in the 2021-22 session that relate to recommendations made in the 2015 Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan and the 2020 Perspectives on Resilience and Recovery report. This list includes bills that […]
read more…The following organizations support the Collaborative’s campaign to expand food system education in K – 12 schools in Massachusetts. Follow these links to learn more about the campaign and read the policy ask. To sign your organization on to the campaign, please click here. For more information, please reach out to Rebecca Miller at [email protected]
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The legislature’s formal session for 2021-22 wrapped up on July 31, and while there still may be some movement on bills during the informal session things will be relatively quiet on Beacon Hill until the new legislature is seated in January, as attention turns to campaigns. The biggest news of the past few months was […]
read more…This week the MA House of Representatives is considering H5007, an economic development bond bill. Please call your representatives TODAY (7/12/22) and urge them to support three amendments that would provide needed support for the Commonwealth’s local food system. Find your representative’s contact information here. #97: DESE/USDA Local Food for Schools (Schmid). This amendment would […]
read more…The Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its draft budget on May 10. More than 1,100 amendments were filed over the next few days, and debate led to the final passage of the chamber’s proposed FY23 budget on May 26. Numerous local food system priorities were proposed, and many were included in the final […]
read more…The Senate Committee on Ways and Means introduced its budget proposal on May 10. There were many proposed investments that reflect advocacy on the part of food system stakeholders, including support for Buy Local organizations and MEFAP, and a commitment to continue funding HIP program growth. The chart below reflects these proposals and others, and stakeholders and […]
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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 […]
read more…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 […]
read more…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. […]
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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 […]
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