Massachusetts Awards Grants to Support Local Food Systems

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources awarded $779,458 in grants to 17 organizations through the state’s Urban Agriculture Program and the Massachusetts Food Ventures Program. The funds will help strengthen the local food system, increase local food production, and expand retail and distribution channels to distribute more healthy, fresh food across the state. The funding will directly support the growth of urban farms, community gardens, and food business operations, targeting areas that struggle with food insecurity. The Urban Agriculture Program will provide resources to urban farms and community gardens to increase their production capacity. The Massachusetts Food Ventures Program helps increase food access by funding infrastructure to support processing, distribution channels, and retail outlets that are located primarily in or near communities of low or moderate income.