Issue #59 | November 2024

Supporting collective action

toward an equitable, sustainable, resilient, and connected local

food system in Massachusetts.

HELP STOP THE HIP CUT



On October 17, the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) announced all Healthy Incentive Program benefits will be cut to $20 per month starting December 1st, regardless of household size, due to insufficient funding in fiscal year 2025. Join the Campaign for HIP Funding at a rally to stop the HIP cut. We will meet at the State House steps at 10am on November 13th 2024! Please RSVP here.

Please continue following the steps in this call to action and sharing these asks with your networks. Call Governor Healey to ask her to file a supplemental budget as soon as possible! Also, call legislative leadership to ask them to pass the supplemental budget quickly to stop the cut! The proposed cut will increase food insecurity among low-income families and harm farmers who have planned their winter market attendance and storage crop plantings around HIP. 

Image of a $20 HIP community supported agriculture share from Small Farm in Stow.

Image of a $40 HIP community supported agriculture share from Small Farm in Stow.

Get your Forum tickets

The tickets for the annual Forum are going fast! The Forum will be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.

This year, the Forum will include breakout sessions on a wide variety of topics including climate resilient agriculture, the true costs of local food, PFAS and its impact on land, as well conversations about the food waste ban, food literacy, and a panel on an interesting partnership on Cape Cod.

Legislative Updates

The Collaborative will continue to fight for food justice, climate resilient agriculture, and equity in the food system. The Collaborative is committed to continuing to support collective action for an equitable, sustainable and resilient food system. Are you looking to take action? Please continue to engage with the Collaborative for how to advocate for the food system in Massachusetts.

Have thoughts about our priority bills? Want to suggest an area for potential advocacy? Share your thoughts here!

Network Updates

In October, the Urban Agriculture Network met. We celebrated some highlights from the last few months, discussed the Farmland Action Plan and connections to urban agriculture with Katharine Otto, MDAR's Farmland Action Plan coordinator. The Network began discussing priorities and interests of network members to inform our 2025 meetings & the Collaborative's policy priorities.

The Collaborative will hold a Local Food Policy Council Network meeting on November 14 and a Food Literacy Coalition meeting on November 21. Reach out to Emily Fidanza at emily@mafoodsystem.org for more information or to get involved in any of these networks.

Support for full HIP funding featured in The Boston Globe!

The Boston Globe Editorial Board published an article about HIP on November 4, 2024 that featured Gary Wilkins of Riverdale Farm in Groton. "Gary Wilkins, owner of Riverdale Farm in Groton, said participation in HIP allowed his farm to expand from growing on 75 acres to 150 acres. He sells at farmers markets in Boston, Lawrence, Lynn, and other urban areas, where 90 percent of buyers use HIP. 'If they're going to buy half as much, I'm going to sell half as much. One of my concerns is if $20 will be enough for [customers] to go to a market,' Wilkins said. He's considering laying off staff if the cut occurs." At a time of rising food insecurity, HIP must be fully funded to be able to continue to meet its mission. Read the full article here.

New climate change resource

The John Hopkins Center for a Liveable Future released a new resource that discusses the role of Food Policy Councils in addressing climate change. “Shaping Policy for a Shifting Climate: the Role of Food Policy Councils” discusses strategies for Food Policy Councils to mitigate global greenhouse gas emissions, increase the food system’s ability to adapt to emissions and increase food system resiliency in response to natural and human-made disasters.

Job Posting Sites

American Farmland Trust

ATTRA paid and unpaid internships

Branchfood Jobs

CISA Classifieds

Good Food Jobs

Neighboring Food Co-ops Jobs

New England Ag Exchange

NOFA/Mass apprenticeship listings

SEMAP Jobs and Opportunities

Food Bank of Western Mass

Job Listserv

Com Food Jobs

MA Food Jobs