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Issue #58 | October 2024
Supporting collective action
toward an equitable, sustainable, resilient, and connected local
food system in Massachusetts.
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Things you can do right now to
support systemic policy change.
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The food system is on the ballot!
The Massachusetts primary has concluded, and the winners of legislative contests have moved on to the general election. Many candidates responded to the Collaborative’s questionnaire about food system issues, and you can see responses from candidates who will be on the ballot in November here. If you don't see a candidate in a contested race, ask them to fill out the survey.
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Massachusetts Food System Forum: tickets selling fast!
The annual Forum will be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Join the Collaborative and food system partners from across the state in discussions around food systems and policy, as well as having time to network.
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Highlights of the
Collaborative's work.
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Welcome, Rhea!
The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative welcomes our fall 2024 intern, Rhea Negrón, who is an environmental science student, sustainability advocate, and agricultural student researcher from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Rhea is pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Rhea will be with the Collaborative until December.
Rhea tells us, "Currently, I’m conducting research for my honors thesis on the impact of agricultural intensity on the microbiome of North American grapes in vineyards. My goal is to better understand issues in the agricultural sector and collaborate with farmers to promote sustainable practices.
I’m excited to be interning with the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative this semester, as they share my passion for creating a better local food system. By advocating for policies that increase production and consumption of Massachusetts-grown foods, create economic opportunities, and reduce food insecurity, MAFSC is making a significant impact on building a more equitable and resilient food system.
Outside of my studies and this internship, I enjoy foraging for mushrooms, brewing kombucha, practicing yoga, and taking long walks with my chihuahua, Kissy. I’m thrilled to contribute to initiatives that support our local communities and look forward to making a positive impact in our food systems!"
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Legislative Updates
In September, a fiscal year 2024 closeout budget that included $5.1 million for the Healthy Incentives Program was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Healey. This budget fully funds the more than $18 million HIP spent in FY24. Additionally, the food donation credit bill, H.1594/ S.920, was moved to House Ways and Means as part of H.4982, thanks to the sponsorship of Representative Hannah Kane and Senator Jo Comerford.
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Urban Agriculture Network
The Urban Agriculture Network met in September after a few months off for the busy growing season. During the meeting, network members shared highlights from their summer work. The next network meeting will be on October 24. During that meeting a representative from MDAR will be attending to share more about the farmland action plan and how it connects to urban agriculture. We will also be discussing policy priorities for 2025. Email Emily@mafoodsystem.org for the zoom information.
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Food Waste Reduction Network
The Food Waste Reduction Network met in September for networking and discussion. Members discussed their current work, and ideas for new policy priorities in 2025. Members who work on composting, food rescue and distribution, and gleaning attended. Do you have a new policy idea you want to share? Email Emily@mafoodsystem.org.
There is promising news about food waste reduction in Massachusetts. A recent study indicates that the food waste ban first established in 2014 resulted in a significant decrease in food waste headed for landfills or incinerators. The 7% reduction is the only significant reduction among five states that have implemented bans in the last 10 years. In 2022, the state lowered the threshold of waste required to be diverted from one ton to one half ton per week, diverting even more food to donations, food recovery, composting, and anaerobic digestion. The reduction in food waste has also led to decreased emissions. The researchers suggest success in Massachusetts can be attributed to “simple regulations, affordable options for managing food waste, and stronger enforcement and monitoring than other states.” The implementation of the commercial food waste ban, and next steps for food waste reduction policy, will be discussed further at the Forum.
Image of a recent headline from WBUR sharing the recent study.
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Agricultural Equity Network
Norris Guscott, the Equity Network Manager, visited the Urban Farming Institute and the Edgewater Food Forest in Boston. Norris also visited two farmers in Lakeville who shared their struggles and successes with farming, including one farmer growing rice in Massachusetts after years of experimentation. Both visits reminded him that agriculture can look quite different throughout the state. The Network also had a great meeting with the MDAR Environmental Justice Team and Katharine Otto, MDAR’s Farmland Action Plan Coordinator who detailed the Farmland Action Plan’s commitment to racial equity. If you’d like to find get involved with the Network, please contact Norris at Norris@mafoodsystem.org.
Norris and farmer Jor Her in his field.
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New England Feeding New England: Local Food Counts
The New England Food System Planners Partnership released a new detailed analysis of local food spending in Massachusetts – Local Food Count 2022. The report reveals that at least $1.4 billion of the state's total $54.9 billion in food, beverage and alcohol expenditures were directed towards local and regional products.
The Local Food Counts 2022 data, based on a small sample size, serves as a baseline of understanding for future assessments, with subsequent counts planned for 2025 and 2030. This report identifies gaps in current data, such as specific product details, and suggests areas for improvement in both data collection and local food system support. Massachusetts plans to expand the responses in future counts by further engaging consumers, retailers, food service, and food industry partners.
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Inspiring work being done by some
of our friends in Massachusetts.
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DESE shares steps to improve access to food system education
Last year, the fiscal year 2024 budget made $1 million available for food literacy efforts, supporting DESE to increase the impact of the school wellness coaching program, offer food literacy professional development opportunities to educators, as well as support the continuation of the MA FRESH grant, which supports farm to school and food literacy projects. As reporting from DESE’s FY2024 food literacy activities winds down, DESE is excited to share the following impacts, made possible by this FY2024 State Budget earmark:
Massachusetts School Wellness Coaching Program (MSWCP): MSWCP, executed in collaboration with The John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition at Framingham State University (JSI), supported 19 Tier One schools (focused on perfecting policy) and 12 Tier Two schools (focused on implementing initiatives) in School Year 2023-2024, through 64 sessions with 494 participants total. Additionally, 110 school wellness champions attended the annual Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs 2024 Summit for professional development, resources, networking and to celebrate their achievements in a School Wellness Recognition Ceremony. Lastly, food literacy funding was leveraged to develop a Massachusetts specific School Wellness Assessment Tool which is currently being piloted by participants of FY25’s MSWCP cohort.
Food Literacy Professional Development Opportunities for Educators: JSI offered eight 4-week online food literacy courses in SY2023-2024 for 109 attendees (95 of which received tuition support through food literacy funding). Additionally, DESE’s Center for Instructional Support made five food literacy professional development courses available, facilitated by RootED Educational Consultants, which were attended virtually by 70 educators at no cost across 30 districts in the Commonwealth.
MA Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (MA FRESH) Grant: In FY2024, 23 grantees were awarded MA FRESH funding – 14 schools and schools districts and 9 early education programs for a total of $400,000 in funding. FY24 MA FRESH projects impacted over 27,000 students across the Commonwealth and 19% of grantees experienced an increase in meal participation. Projects ranged from curriculum development (40% of grantees) to school garden and indoor hydroponic builds (71% of grantees) to investments in school meal and local ingredient integration (40% of grantees) -- just to name a few project areas.
The Campaign for Food Literacy is excited to have an additional $1 million for food literacy included in the FY25 State Budget to support the MA FRESH Grant as well as the Massachusetts School Wellness Coaching Program. DESE is now accepting applications for the FY25 MA FRESH grant program due Friday, October 11. Apply here.
Image from a Salem High School tour in the summer.
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Thoughtful insights about
food system issues.
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USDA to continue programs that enable successful partnerships to end hunger and support local farmers
On October 1st, the Unites States Department of Agriculture announced that with $1.2 billion in funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) and Local Food For Schools (LFFS) Cooperative Agreement Programs will continue. Each program is expected to receive $500 million, to be disbursed among states, territories, and Tribal nations. For the first time, $200 million will be made available for child care facilities as part of LFFS. Massachusetts received more than $13 million over the two previous rounds of LFPA, and more than $3.5 million in LFFS. Many new and historically marginalized farmers have built business models on their relationships with anti-hunger organizations enabled by LFPA. These programs are crucial to building sustainable markets for farmers, and to ending hunger, which remains high, as a USDA report on household food insecurity in 2023 detailed.
Image from a central Massachusetts farm that participates in LFPA.
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Upcoming Food System Events
Know of another great source of events or jobs? Let us know!
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The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative envisions a local food system where everyone has access to healthy food, to land to grow food, to good jobs, and to the systems where policy decisions are made. Read more about our vision and our work.
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