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Advocates press for a permanent Farm to School program and local‑food incentives
Summary
A broad coalition including school food directors, farmers, regional planners and food banks urged lawmakers to create a permanent Farm to School grant program and a local‑food incentive after federal funding was cut.
School food directors, farmers’ groups, regional planning agencies and anti‑hunger organizations asked the Joint Committee on Education to establish a permanent Massachusetts Farm to School program (Senate Bill 311 / House Bill 565) and a local food incentive to help districts buy regionally produced food and expand food‑based education.
Speakers described pilots that used federal funds — a Mass Fresh grant and a USDA local food incentive — to increase local purchases, expand school gardens and fund classroom farm visits. Simcha Horwitz and others said the Mass Fresh pilot awarded nearly $2,000,000 to 67 schools but received far more requests; regional food procurements had supported over 200 farms and were disrupted when federal streams ended. Food‑security advocates urged the state to step in because recent federal SNAP and USDA changes will reduce available funding and local farmers scaled up expecting federal demand.
District food service directors and program managers described improved participation, student engagement, and workforce development when local foods and hands‑on lessons were supported. Witnesses asked the committee to create a standing nutrition advisory council and grant program to level up districts that lack local philanthropic support, and to preserve gains from universal school meals by ensuring that meals are nutritious and regionally sourced.
Ending: Witnesses asked for a favorable report and a clear path to funding, procurement support and technical assistance so districts statewide can adopt and sustain farm to school practices.
