|
Dear Friends,
We hope this month's newsletter finds you well amid difficult changes in our political landscape.
Here at BAV, we are keeping our eye on potentially devastating federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and myriad other challenges affecting our farmers and rural communities. We stand in solidarity with food producers committed to feeding everyone in their community - a core value of so many local farmers and farmers markets. We feel proud and grateful that our Market Match Fund is once again helping to double thousands of SNAP purchases at area farmers markets.
| | |
I'm finding solace, as I always do, in the beauty and bounty of summer and the land. I'm feeling so grateful to our local farmers for their hard work, with just a touch of magic, that creates all this ... the food that nourishes, delights, and sustains us. That brings us into the closest possible relationship with each other and with Earth.
This month, we're sharing a few project highlights to celebrate the good work of our food producers and BAV's role in serving and supporting them. We hope you enjoy learning more about what we and our local farmers have been up to - and we invite you to email us with any feedback!
Kind regards,
| | |
Audrey Hackett
Communications & Development Manager
Photo credit: Angela Cardinali
| | IN THE FIELD: PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS | | |
AYRHILL FARM
A 100-year-old family farm in Adams, MA, now has a new Tier 4 emissions tractor – a highly energy-efficient, low-emissions tractor! Ayrhill Farm purchased the tractor thanks to a grant from Massachusetts Department of Agriculture’s Climate Smart for Agriculture Program (CSAP) – and thanks to BAV's grant-writing support. Ben Crockett, our Climate Smart Agriculture Program Manager, helped connect farmers Jason Hoellerich and Chrissy Satko (pictured above) with the CSAP grant opportunity, and paired them with an expert grant-writer, with BAV covering the majority of the grant-writing cost. The result was a successful CSAP grant award of $50,000 toward the purchase of this cutting-edge equipment. Best of all, the tractor was up and running in time for this year’s growing season! Ayrhill's hay operation now serves 10+ area livestock farms - more cleanly and “greenly” than ever before. It’s a win for Ayrhill, its partner farms, and the local environment. Ben was pleased to visit the farm on a recent afternoon to see the new tractor first hand and celebrate the achievement.
| | |
BERKSHIRE-TACONIC
DAIRY COHORT
BAV’s Outreach & Technical Assistance Manager Dan Carr recently led another meeting of the Berkshire-Taconic Dairy Cohort. Participating dairy farmers gathered at Bob Kilmer’s Twin Rivers Farm in Sheffield, MA, to discuss their challenges in a changing industry and gain new business tools and support. Launched last fall, the Dairy Cohort is a two-year project that brings together eight dairy farms from across BAV’s service area in an effort to meet industry challenges and strengthen this vitally important sector of local agriculture. The initiative is helping participants build their business planning and grant readiness skills while making valuable farmer-to-farmer connections. Funded by the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), the big picture is to increase the viability of dairy farms in our region in the face of decades of losses to development and other factors.
| | |
MARKET MATCH FUND
With well over $100,000 in grants made to all our partner farmers markets, the 2025 outdoor farmers market season is in full swing! BAV is thrilled to once again support 10 Berkshire-area farmers markets with significant funding for SNAP matching. Now in its fourth year, our Market Match Fund has brought several hundred thousand dollars to our local markets, farmers, and community. We are so grateful to the foundation, corporate, and individual donors who make this robust support possible! Jake Levin, BAV’s Local Food Systems Program Manager, recently visited the Stockbridge Farmers Market, the Berkshires' newest farmers market and a Market Match Fund recipient. He and other BAV staff look forward to visiting all our partner markets this summer to connect with our community and celebrate the bounty of our farmers. Coming up later TODAY: BAV will be tabling at the beautiful West Stockbridge Farmers Market, which is held every Thursday through the season, 3-6pm.
Photo: Stockbridge Farmers Market, now in its second year, held outside Stockbridge Town Hall
| | |
As of July 1, Massachusetts' Healthy Incentive Program (HIP) benefits have been raised to $40 monthly for all SNAP households. The increase partially restores the HIP benefit, which was cut substantially last winter - from up to $80 monthly based on household size to a benefit cap of $20 monthly for all SNAP recipients. The new $40 benefit cap is likely to stay in place this fiscal year, with $21 million allocated for HIP in the 2026 budget recently signed by Gov. Maura Healey. That amount still falls short of full HIP funding, estimated at $25.4 million.
HIP gives SNAP households more purchasing power for fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. The program has been shown to improve families' health, support local farmers, and generate positive local economic impact. When the benefits were cut last winter, many folks mobilized - including BAV. We launched an emergency campaign through our Market Match Fund to double the reduced $20 monthly benefit cap to $40 for produce purchases at Berkshire-area winter farmers markets. Statewide, months of dedicated advocacy by the MA Food System Collaborative and partners, including many local farmers, helped bring about the partial restoration of the program's benefits - with the goal of securing full funding for HIP through continued advocacy and outreach.
| | |
Ben Crockett recently attended the Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA) regional meeting held in Mystic, CT, and hosted by the CT Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Commissioners reported on developments in their states, discussed association priorities, elected new association leadership (congratulations to President-elect MA Commissioner Ashley Randle!), and learned about food and agriculture through presentations and farm tours. One highlight was the "Women in Agriculture" panel, whose speakers included BAV board member Amanda Freund of CowPots; another highlight was checking research traps with the Project Oceanology Boat Tour - pictured here!
| | |
North Adams Farmers Market and Williamstown Farmers Market were honored with the Northern Berkshire Hero Award last month at the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's annual meeting. Jake Levin attended to celebrate these two BAV partners, who were being recognized for their "collective work making healthy local food options more accessible to all residents through Market Match." BAV is grateful to support SNAP matching programs at these and other Berkshire-area markets through our Market Match Fund. We admire the dedication of our local farmers markets to ensuring as many households as possible in our community have access to fresh food grown and raised by local farmers!
| | OPEN FARM DAY IN WILLIAMSTOWN, MA | | |
Sunday, July 20, 10am-1pm
Visit 11 participating farms in Williamstown, MA! Walk trails, chat with farmers, picnic, meet the animals, purchase produce and meat, and take in the views. Organized by the Williamstown Agricultural Commission. Note: Please leave dogs at home.
Click on the image to enlarge the poster!

| | WORKSHOP FOR LIVESTOCK FARMERS | | There are a couple of spots left in BAV's upcoming workshop focused on selective breeding and linear measurements in beef cattle! This is a free two-part workshop geared to area livestock farmers. The first workshop is tomorrow, July 11, at Harrier Fields Farm in Schodack Landing, NY. See details below, and email jake@berkshireagventures.org to sign up. | | 2025 GRAZING LUMINARY TOUR | | BAV is proud to partner with the New England Grazing Network (NEGN) for this upcoming Northeast Luminary Tour. Ben Crockett, our Climate Smart Agriculture Program Manager, is a member of the NEGN steering committee and one of the organizers of this year's tour. The goal is to bring innovative, in-person, interactive grazing resources to farmers and farm service providers across the region. The Luminary Tour will be coming to our area next Friday, July 18, with a session at Hawthorne Valley Farm. Click here for more information and to register! | | |
Friday, July 25
Agroforestry Accelerator Program: Six-month mentoring program for agroforestry-related businesses to help bring new value-added products or ingredients to market. Free; offered by the Agroforestry Coalition and Food Finance Institute. Click here for details and to apply.
| | |
Friday, August 1
Farm Service Agency County Committees: Nominations are being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. All nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by August 1. Click here for details.
| | |
August 10-September 10
Land & Legacy Scholarship: Provides financial support for farmers and ranchers interested in attending any of Noble Research Institute’s 2025 educational courses designed to promote land stewardship through regenerative management practices. Click here for details and to apply.
| | |
Fall 2025 application; Preliminary Interest Form available now
Agroforestry Apprentice Program: Opportunity to learn the basics of agroforestry and gain on-the-job training in key agroforestry career paths. Pilot program organized by the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Tompkins County, NY, and partners. Click here for details and to fill out the Preliminary Interest Form.
| | We all have a stake in local agriculture. Farmers, food producers, and our rural communities need our support more than ever. Give today and be a part of BAV's work to strengthen our local food systems. Thank you! | | | | |
