Blog Post  Promoting Massachusetts Agriculture: MassGrown...and Fresher!

Fall in Massachusetts brings plenty of opportunities to enjoy local farms, farmers markets, and agricultural fairs across the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Grown...and Fresher! (MassGrown) helps residents discover where to find them. 

MassGrown is a program within the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) that connects residents with local agriculture while promoting the benefits of buying locally grown products and supporting Massachusetts commerce. One of the program’s most notable resources is the MassGrown Map, an interactive tool that helps users discover farms, farmers markets, fairs, and more across the Commonwealth. 

In a recent WOSD News: Procurement Insights podcast, MassGrown Coordinator Rick LeBlanc shared the program’s origins, dating back to the 1980s, and how it has evolved over the years. He also discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the food system and how MDAR expanded its public outreach by leveraging Statewide Contracts. 

“The pandemic exposed how fragile our food system can be when it’s interrupted,” said LeBlanc. “Oftentimes the public didn’t know they had a farm nearby, so we heavily promoted the MassGrown Map to help them find local produce and farmers markets.” 

MDAR procured professional Advertising, Marketing, and Event Planning services through Statewide Contract to amplify the MassGrown message and promote its resources. LeBlanc explained that contracting with a marketing firm gave MDAR access to research and expertise that helped the agency identify target audiences and select the most effective advertising platforms. 

“We learned to leverage outside marketing vendors while mixing in our in-house talent and expertise at MDAR,” explained LeBlanc. “We’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t work by collaborating with Statewide Contract Vendors.” 

To learn more about how Statewide Contracts help agencies access the products and services they need to advance their missions, access Promoting Massachusetts Agriculture: MassGrown...and Fresher! on the OSD YouTube channel.