Policy & Advocacy Newsletter
Last Week was Ag Day at the State House!
We had the pleasure of attending Ag Day last Wednesday and had a lot of fun talking to people who came by our table! Thank you to Karen Schwalbe, Executive Director of Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, for organizing all of the agricultural support organizations. There were many presentations before the Taste of Massachusetts (a showcase and sampling of local foods). We were able to sample many delicious Massachusetts farm products, and the Hall of Flags was abuzz with legislators and their staff.
Our team invited Gregory Ormsby Moir from Forestopia (Check out their online Agroforestry Market!) to promote agroforestry crops. Visitors were able to sample white spruce syrup mocktails with seltzer, and a crumble made from acorn and chestnut flours, black walnuts and maple syrup. NOFA/Mass recently finished up a Special Crop Block Grant featuring these new enterprise crops, which have had high interest from the public. Learn more about our work on agroforestry here.
Ag Day at the State House is a celebration of agriculture and aquaculture across the state. It’s a time to recognize all of the fantastic growers, organizations, and products that we have in the Commonwealth. It’s also an opportunity to tell legislators and government executives how current bills can help maintain a robust farm and food system. By attending, we were able to build connections with other organizations in our local food system, and help gain support for moving our priority bills along within the legislature.
Farm Bill Update
The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026
After 3 years of kicking the can down the road on an expired Farm Bill, the Agriculture Committee has finally been getting to work. The Farm Bill has not been revised since 2018. Some of the provisions from the old Farm Bill made it into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last summer, but many of those provisions have not seen the light of day and may not until July 2026.
As of last week, there have been four sessions to mark up the Farm Bill Draft and the work continues with few Democratic amendments passing. We’ll continue providing updates in our subsequent newsletters.
HIP Lobby Day at the Statehouse – March 26th
We highly encourage everyone to join the Food System Collaborative’s (Healthy Incentives Program) HIP Lobby Day at the Statehouse next Thursday, March 26th (Farmers are especially encouraged to join!). From 10am – 12pm, the Campaign for HIP Funding will come together in room 428 of the State House in Boston to advocate for $28.5 million for HIP in the fiscal year 2027 budget! No advocacy experience is necessary, training will be provided to first time advocates. Sign up here.
HIP is incredibly important for supporting access to healthy, local food for all Massachusetts residents. It’s also helpful for farm businesses, giving them an additional revenue source. NOFA/Mass thanks the MA Food System Collaborative and all of the coalition partners for their continued advocacy to fund HIP. Check out their Campaign for HIP Funding page.
Input Requested: Farmer Food Donation Tax Credit Survey
The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative seeks your input on how a tax credit of up to $5,000 for food or crops donated to hunger relief organizations would benefit your farm business and get more food to people in need. Survey results will be used in advocacy conversations with the MA legislature. This tax credit has been proposed in a supplemental budget filed by the Governor, and would last for three years if passed. Please share this survey with any Massachusetts farmers or hunger relief organizations you know. Share your input here.
