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The following was submitted by the Office of Sen. Jason Lewis:
State Sen. Jason Lewis joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate to pass the FARM Bill, agricultural legislation aimed at supporting Massachusetts’ 7,000 farms, making it easier for families to buy fresh and nutritious food, and protecting the state’s food supply for the future, as the state faces federal funding cuts and climate change threats.
An act fostering agricultural resilience in Massachusetts — known as the FARM Bill — builds on a recent special commission report focused on making Massachusetts agricultural operations sustainable for the 21st century, and is a major step forward in supporting Massachusetts farmers and growing the state’s agricultural economy.
“Local farms and agriculture are core to our state’s economy and wellbeing,” said Lewis. “This legislation ensures small farms have the supports they need to grow in an evolving economy and bolsters farm-to-table and farm-to-school programs that promote healthy eating habits.”
Highlights of the FARM Bill include:
- Codifying the Healthy Incentives program (HIP) into law to help families afford fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Codifying the Farm to School program into law to support partnerships between schools and local growers that provide fresh ingredients for student meals.
- Supporting agritourism, such as corn mazes and “pick your own” berry and fruit operations, by removing hurdles that help owners of small farms to grow their businesses.
- Protecting farmland and improving long-term planning by creating a statewide agricultural land database and improving the Agricultural Preservation Restriction program to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Updating state emergency planning efforts to prioritize the security of the local food supply chain and requiring regular reporting on the distribution of local produce through food banks, universal school meals, Meals on Wheels, and other food assistance programs given federal cuts to emergency planning and assistance.
- Exploring renewable energy opportunities on farmland, balancing clean energy goals with agricultural land preservation.
- Establishing a five-year property tax exemption under a local option program for new farm buildings and structures to help farmers remain viable and expand their operations.
- Codifying the Food Security Infrastructure Grant program into law to build a more resilient and equitable local food system.
After passing with bipartisan support in the Senate, the FARM Bill was sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
