Farm to School Grant Bill Policy Briefing Overview

Massachusetts Farm to School and the Massachusetts Food for Massachusetts Kids Coalition hosted a policy briefing on October 19th for state policymakers to hear about the bill to establish a Massachusetts Farm to School Grant Program (S.349 and H.686). Thank you to everyone who attended the briefing or encouraged your local representatives to attend! State Senator Eric Lesser and Representative Smitty Pignatelli co-hosted the briefing as sponsors of the bill, and attendees also heard from Massachusetts Farm to School advocates as well as a diverse panel including a farmer, school nutrition director, and educator who all shared their perspectives on the power of farm to school. You can read a press release about the policy briefing here to learn more about the event.

“This will help our farmers, our local agricultural economy, our kids getting access to healthy, nutritious food, improve outcomes in our schools and across the board. And it’s the right thing to do.” 

-State Senator Lesser during his opening remarks 

Massachusetts Farm to School has submitted a funding request to the state to support this effort with an appropriation of $1,000,000 to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to fund the first year of the grant program. We believe that this appropriation is eligible for federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and that utilizing ARPA funds for the first year would get this program off to a good start without unnecessary delay. You can help make farm to school a reality for every student in Massachusetts by submitting written testimony in support of the Farm to School Grant Bill by November 22, 2021. Learn more and download a sample letter here.