- Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
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Phu Mai, Director of Communications
Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration has awarded more than $1 million in grants to 16 farms across Massachusetts to help improve and expand operations, ensuring their continued role in supporting the local agricultural economy. The funding, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) through the Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) Program and the Agricultural Preservation Restriction Improvement Program (AIP), provides training and capital funding for farms to grow and enhance their contributions to the farming community.
“Massachusetts continues to invest directly in our farms that feed us - through innovative, hands-on programs that give local farmers the tools they need to grow healthy food, stay resilient through extreme weather, and keep their businesses strong,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “We all benefit when our farms thrive, and we are dedicated to supporting the growth of Massachusetts farm businesses to ensure their viability.”
This year, the MEGA Program has allocated $148,910 to eight beginning farms, in addition to providing individualized business planning and technical assistance to help foster their growth. Once they complete their business plans through the program, they also receive matching grants of up to $30,000 for capital farm improvements as identified in their respective plans. Since its launch in 2010, the MEGA Program has awarded more than $1 million in total grants to 117 diverse farms, averaging around $9,137 per farm, and provided $480,153 in business and technical assistance.
The APR Improvement Program has awarded $970,000 total grants for infrastructure improvements to eight protected farms. Similar to the MEGA Program, the AIP provides business planning, technical assistance, and grants to established commercial farms with land that is protected through MDAR’s APR Program to further help sustain their agricultural production. Since its inception in 2009, the AIP has awarded $9,375,140 in total grants to 126 APR farms across the state, averaging $74,406 per farm, and provided $704,212 in total technical assistance with a combined total of 17,512 acres of permanently protected farmland.
“We’re pleased that MEGA and AIP awardees have benefited from the valuable business assistance to help make their farms even more successful,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “We know that our farmers are putting their grants to good use towards capital investments on their farms to improve their operations, delivering high-quality agricultural products to their communities.”
"Massachusetts farmers feed our communities, protect open space, and drive our local economy,” said State Senator Dylan A. Fernandes and Senate Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries (D – Plymouth and Barnstable). “These targeted investments through the MEGA and AIP programs give them the tools they need to succeed, from tractors to business planning support. As Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries, I’m deeply grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their continued support of farmers across the Commonwealth.”
“It’s great to see several awards supporting our farmers in Franklin County,” said State Senator Paul Mark (D – Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire). “These awards will help our local farms stay competitive and economically successful right here in Massachusetts.”
“This funding will support our farmers as they continue to support our communities – as local food producers, economic engines, stewards of our land, and so much more,” said State Representative and House Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Natalie M. Blais (D – Sunderland). “I am proud to live in a state that values our farms and is committed to strengthening our local food system.”
"Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for providing grant funding to our local famers across the Commonwealth,” said State Representative James Arciero (D – Westford). “In Westford, a Right to Farm community, Drew Farm is a treasured, family-owned and operated orchard. These critical funds will build a greatly needed barn for a retail store, equipment and product storage."
The following are the MEGA recipients:
| Farm Name | Project Type | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Colrain-Line Family Farm – Colrain, MA | Wood processor, skid steer, and equipment | $18,750 |
| Emily’s Shellfish Company – Brewster, MA | Truck and cooler | $22,210 |
| Gwydyr Farm – Southampton, MA | Hay equipment | $7,950 |
| Iron Ox Farm – South Hamilton, MA | Tractor | $20,000 |
| Old Earth Orchards, LLC – East Taunton, MA | Tractor, sprayer and electric UTV | $30,000 |
| Rattleroot Farm – Princeton, MA | Tractor | $10,000 |
| Tip Top Orchard – Charlemont, MA | Tractor | $10,000 |
| Wauban Farm – Ashfield, MA | Hay equipment and cattle handling equipment | $30,000 |
The following are the farms awarded AIP grants:
| Farm Name | Project Type | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Burgundy Brook Farm – Belchertown, MA | Hay storage barn | $90,000 |
| Drew Farm – Westford, MA | Barn for retail store, equipment and product storage | $90,000 |
| Farmer Tim’s Vegetables – Dudley, MA | Wash/pack/storage building | $125,000 |
| Kevin Tripp Dairy Farm – Westport, MA | Renovation of livestock housing & grain storage | $90,000 |
| Meadowsweet Farm – Hawley, MA | Sheep barn and fencing | $150,000 |
| Ogonowski Farm – Dracut, MA | Equipment storage barn | $150,000 |
| Porter Family Farm – Ashfield, MA | Barn for workshop, equipment storage, cattle handling, and hay storage | $125,000 |
| Whittier Farms – Sutton, MA | Beef herd barn | $150,000 |
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