Advocates press committee for tax credit to boost farm food donations and cut waste

Advocates and operators of food banks and gleaning programs testified in favor of H.3154 / S.1043, which would create a tax credit equal to the fair-market value of donated food and impose a $25,000 annual cap per farmer.

Rebecca Miller, who testified for a coalition of organizations, said food donation and gleaning programs could expand if small farms saw reliable compensation for the time and transportation costs involved in donating perishable goods. Miller cited MassDEP statistics that organic and food waste are a major component of the state waste stream and said states that have enacted similar incentives saw large donation increases.

Gleaning program operators from Martha’s Vineyard described immediate on‑the‑ground effects: one witness said the island’s pantry registers roughly one in five year‑round residents as pantry clients and depends on local farms during summer months when ferry access is variable. She told the committee small farms operate on thin margins and that a tax credit would meaningfully increase donated local food available to year‑round residents.

Speakers asked for a favorable report and said other states’ experience—cited an increase of 137% in donations in one federal example after a change in tax treatment—showed the policy can be effective. The committee accepted testimony and written materials; no vote or amendment was recorded in this session.

Why it matters: Supporters say the measure would reduce waste and food insecurity, sustain small farms, and deliver climate benefits by diverting organic material from landfills.