Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Massachusetts Agriculture Day with over $3 Million in Grants to Support Farmers

Boston — Today, Governor Maura Healey declared April 3, 2024, as Massachusetts Agriculture Day. As part of the celebration, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll announced over $3 million in grants to support Massachusetts farmers through programs that improve composting efforts, food safety, cranberry bog restoration, stewardship, and business planning.

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner Ashley Randle also announced the formation and inaugural members of the Massachusetts Agricultural Youth Council. Comprised of high school seniors, the Ag Youth Council will cultivate and foster the next generation of leaders in the agriculture industry in Massachusetts.

Organized by the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation and MDAR, Massachusetts Agriculture Day at the State House celebrates the agricultural industry and gathers farmers, producers, and commodity groups from across the Commonwealth to showcase the richness and diversity of Massachusetts grown products, allowing legislators and officials the opportunity to sample locally produced food and crops and learn more about important issues directly from farmers.

“This Ag Day we’re celebrating our farmers who work tirelessly throughout the year to grow and produce a diverse, healthy food supply to feed residents across Massachusetts. Last year, I witnessed the resilience of our farmers as they worked to recover from a series of devastating severe weather events,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our administration stands in support of the agricultural industry and will continue provide farms with resources to increase production and help reduce food insecurity.”

“Strong, flourishing farms contribute so much more than the food that they produce. They catalyze economic benefits that go beyond the agricultural sector,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “Providing direct funding to our farmers through these programs ensures our vibrant industry continues to produce the highest quality food. These grants demonstrate our commitment to the agricultural industry and goes a long way to ensuring this sector thrives.”

“These programs showcase our commitment to supporting our farmers at all stages in their businesses,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Whether just starting out, taking the reins from a previous owner, or working to secure their continued longevity, our MDAR grant opportunities can enhance sustainability for farms.”

Agriculture Youth Council

MDAR selected 12 high school students to serve on the council. The group will meet monthly to discuss agricultural issues, hear from guest speakers from the agricultural industry, learn about the legislative process and workforce development opportunities attend special events and tours, and enhance their professional skills. The inaugural members of the Agricultural Youth Council are:

• Noorhan Al-Dulaimi - Shrewsbury (Shrewsbury High School)
• Tammy Anderson - Boston (Norfolk County Agricultural High School)
• Susan Barrows - Upton (Nipmuc Regional High School)
• Amanda Cooper - Ipswich (Malden Catholic High School)
• Michaela Jardine-Yeats - Lunenburg (Lunenburg Middle & High School)
• Shayn Jones - New Bedford (Bristol County Agricultural High School)
• Colleen Kielbania - Ipswich (Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical High School)
• Miru Kunst - West Boylston (Norfolk County Agricultural High School)
• Haley-Ann Lynch - Southwick (Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School)
• Brooke Macjewski - Grafton (Norfolk County Agricultural High School)
• Ana Carolina Maloon - Salem (Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical High School)
• Carolinne Rodriguez - Beverly (Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical High School)
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“Being a fifth-generation dairy farmer, I was fortunate to have mentors to teach, guide, and empower me. The creation of the Ag Youth Council will go further - in bringing together future Massachusetts agricultural leaders to nurture their skills so that the next generation will have the tools to succeed in this everchanging field,” said MDAR Commissioner Randle. “Our administration is committed to supporting beginning farmers and providing them with resources they’ll need to start and grow an agricultural business.  Youth engagement and workforce development is necessary to the future of our state’s agriculture industry, and I look forward to working with this first class of students.”

Grant Funding

MDAR is awarding over $3 million in funding to 74 farms through the Agricultural Composting Improvement Program (ACIP), the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP), Cranberry Bog Renovation Grant (CBRG) Program, Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) Program, and Stewardship Assistance and Restoration on APRs (SARA) Program. These programs will help to improve and strengthen their operations in the short and long term.

“On the Cape and Islands, our farmers and aquaculturists bolster our local economy and allow residents to access fresh and healthy food,” said Senator Julian Cyr (D – Cape and Islands). “I am thrilled that ten farms on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard will receive funding through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. These monies will ensure food safety, help renovate cranberry bogs, and support the vitality and vibrancy of our coastal agriculture industry.”

The Agricultural Composting Improvement Program (ACIP) funds equipment and projects to improve agricultural composting practices and facilitate the use of compost as a valuable soil amendment on farms. MDAR provides technical assistance to farms conducting agricultural composting and encourages farms to utilize compost as a soil amendment or manure management tool. The following are the Agricultural Composting Improvement Program grant recipients for FY2024: 

The Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP) allows produce and aquaculture operations to address food safety on their farms. It enables the operations to meet buyer demands, increase local food consumption, and protect public health by reducing food safety risks. The following are the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program grant recipients (Round 1) for 2024: 

The following are the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program grant recipients (Round 2) for 2024: 

The Cranberry Bog Renovation Grant Program provides reimbursement to cranberry operations that implement projects that improve both bog design and production while preventing, reducing, or eliminating negative environmental impacts that may occur from cranberry production. By funding these projects, the program enhances the cranberry industry's overall financial and environmental sustainability. The following are the Cranberry Bog Renovation Grant Program recipients for FY24:

The Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture Program assists beginning farmers who have been in business for between 1 and 10 years by providing technical assistance (including a mentorship option) and business planning assistance. Grant funds of up to $30,000 may be available on a 1:1 matching cost reimbursement basis to assist farmers whose goal is to raise agricultural products and who are developing their farms into commercially viable operations. Funds are typically used for equipment, infrastructure, or other capital improvements to implement strategies identified during the planning process that will help their business grow. The following are the Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture recipients for 2024: 

The Stewardship Assistance and Restoration on APRs Program helps restore active commercial farming on land that has protected through the Department’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program. Funds may be used for materials, contracted labor, or equipment rental costs to clear or reclaim inactive fields that are out of production at no fault of the current owner. Grant funds of up to $35,000 are available on a cost reimbursement basis with a 15% match of total project costs required by the awardee. The following are the Stewardship Assistance on APRs grant recipients for 2024: 

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