Governor Healey awards over $750,000 in grants addressing food insecurity

Food News

The grants will be distributed to 17 organizations statewide, including urban farms, community gardens, and food business operations.

The Healey-Driscoll administration announced Thursday that it would award more than $750,000 in grants to address food insecurity in underserved communities.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) will award $779,458 in funding to 17 organizations through the state’s Urban Agriculture Program (UAP) and the Massachusetts Food Ventures Program (MFVP). The grants support the growth of urban farms, community gardens, and food business operations, the MDAR said in a statement.

The funding aims to increase local food production and improve the state’s food infrastructure by expanding retail and distribution channels, according to the MDAR. Food insecure areas are being targeted in the grant program, meaning more food for “low-to-moderate income residents.”

“With President Trump repeatedly attacking the programs that help Massachusetts families afford food, programs like these will increase the supply of locally grown healthy, affordable food,” Governor Maura Healey said in the statement. “These awards are supporting local jobs, farmers and small food businesses that keep money circulating in our local economy and provide essential food for the people of Massachusetts.”

Since the start of the Trump administration, thousands of communities and food banks nationwide have lost resources due to funding cuts. The government also threatened SNAP benefits during October’s shutdown, prompting the Healey administration to start a resource hub.

While the UAP primarily focuses on individual farms and gardens, the MFVP funds infrastructure for larger distribution channels and retail outlets, the MDAR said in the statement.

The largest UAP grants given were $30,739 to All Farmers in Agawam for food production equipment, $25,000 to Roots Rising in Pittsfield for irrigation and new land, and $20,979 to Trustees of Reservations in Boston for improved gardening pathways.

The largest MFVP grants given were $237,042 to Elliot Farm in Lakeville for food storage materials and equipment, $146,015 to Island Grown Initiative in Vineyard Haven for greenhouse restoration, and $100,000 to The Livestock Institute of Southern New England for a pig processing room, according to the MDAR.

“Investing in community gardens and urban farms gives neighborhoods more control over their own food supply,” Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said in the statement. “These projects increase consistent access to fresh and local produce, create real opportunities for skill-building, and help communities build reliable distribution systems.”