Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced over $22 million in grants today to support 113 local food producers and food system organizations, in addressing food insecurity in Massachusetts. These funds will help strengthen Massachusetts’ food production and distribution sectors, which will allow residents more access to fresh, locally grown and produced food. The grants are made possible through the Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) program, an innovative and competitive grant program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). The program is designed to support food security initiatives that provide more equitable access to locally grown, raised, harvested and caught foods by strengthening the local food supply chain.

“Thanks to this transformative program, we’re continuing our work to ensure that food producers and distributors in Massachusetts are equipped to feed our residents with fresh local products,” said Governor Maura Healey. “While the Trump Administration is cutting food assistance for millions of people, Massachusetts is stepping up to make sure our communities have affordable, healthy food while also supporting our farmers and local businesses.”

“A strong local food system with thriving growers and supply-chain enterprises is crucial to a healthy economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “That’s why we’re invested in making ours in Massachusetts as successful as possible so all residents can have ready access to local food, and our producers and distributors have the tools and resources they need to grow more food and distribute that food across the state.”

Launched in 2020 as a recommendation of the Massachusetts Food Security Task Force, the FSIG program provides grants for capital infrastructure projects that increase access to locally produced food for families and individuals throughout the state who may be facing food insecurity, live in gateway cities or food deserts, or otherwise face unequal access to food. According to the most recent food access report by the Greater Boston Food Bank, 1 in 3 residents faced food insecurity in 2024. The program aims to foster increased collaboration between farmers, fishers, and other local food producers with the goal of maintaining a strong, resilient food system to help mitigate future supply chain issues.

“Since the inception of the FSIG program, grants have been awarded and projects funded that have allowed farms in Massachusetts to increase their production and viability during uncertain times,” said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “As growers continue to face challenges like unpredictable and extreme weather, unsettled labor issues, and rising costs of production, the FSIG program has helped farmers and fishers build resilience for the future while helping to feed more people in Massachusetts.”

“Farmers and food system entities have utilized their awards to fund projects that have renovated aging infrastructure to better position themselves to modernize and increase their growing and distribution capacity,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “When our growers are able to produce more food and find innovative ways to distribute that food, we all benefit by having more local options which makes us rely less on outside food sources.”

“Giving growers and producers the resources they need is pivotal to protecting and expanding our local food supply chain,” said Senator and Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Dylan Fernandes (D – Plymouth and Barnstable). “These investments will ensure that Massachusetts residents have the best access to locally grown and produced food to help keep families fed this winter.”

“Far too many people understand the ongoing struggle to keep healthy food on the table, and this program has been one way that we can leverage our incredible local seafood industry and community nonprofits to maintain a consistent supply of fresh, nutritious food,” said Senator Mark Montigny (D – Second Bristol and Plymouth), who is a strong supporter of the FSIG program and legislative efforts backing local fishermen and farmers. “The pandemic exposed great weaknesses in our national food supply that have not been resolved years after that emergency ended. Therefore, it is vital that we continue to invest in our local infrastructure and community partners through programs such as FSIG.”

“Our FSIG program is a model for other states in showing how to help local food systems thrive,” said Representative and Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Natalie Blais (D – Sunderland). “Here in Massachusetts, we believe in our farmers and believe that investing in our neighbors not only makes economic sense but also ensures access to fresh, local, healthy food.”

“From our farms to our fishing boats, local food producers are the foundation of Massachusetts’ economy, food security, and community resilience,” said Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester). “During the pandemic, we saw firsthand how fragile national and global food supply lines can be. Investing in programs like the Food Security Infrastructure Grant helps ensure that when disruptions occur, we have strong, local systems in place to feed our residents. By strengthening our ability to grow, harvest, and distribute food here at home, we are supporting our economy, our communities, and the health of every Massachusetts family.”

The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) is proud to announce that it has been awarded a grant from SARE Northeast in support of its Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is a producer-driven, decentralized competitive grants and education program operating in every state. Funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture, the program is run by four regions (North Central, Northeast, South and West) hosted by land grant institutions.

Since 1988, SARE has funded thousands of projects to advance agricultural innovation that promotes profitability, stewardship of the land, air and water, and quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities. Primary grant programs include research and education, professional development and producer grants. Depending on the region, applicants also can propose projects under special grant programs for graduate students, community development practitioners and ag educators conducting on-farm research.

This funding will support the addition of backyard and community gardens by Narragansett Clan Chief Musquant Nompashim Netas (Rocky Johnson). The award will directly benefit families currently participating in the program while also adding new participants from the Pocasset and Pequot tribes. The ultimate goal of the work is to connect the regional tribal communities with their traditions, the land, and each other.

Rocky understands that this work goes beyond food security. “Food brings people together and strengthens communities. It’s a different kind of medicine.”

The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) is a Tribally led nonprofit organization committed to reconnecting and empowering various Indigenous peoples throughout the Northeast. The Land Trust acts as a catalyst for change, addressing critical issues related to land reclamation and food insecurity for the Pocasset Wampanoag tribe and other marginalized communities. Through its targeted initiatives, PPLT empowers communities across New England to reclaim agricultural practices and enhance local food sovereignty. These efforts not only improve access to fresh, healthy food but also foster a sense of community and cultural pride among Indigenous peoples in the Northeast.

A key element of PPLT’s efforts is funding from the 2501 Program, a U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) program designed to support outreach and assistance for underserved farmers and ranchers. This funding has been crucial in helping the land trust cultivate valuable partnerships. Collaborations with organizations such as Global Village and the Northeast Organic Farming Association have expanded PPLT’s reach, enabling the implementation of mentorship programs and the creation of meaningful community connections. Additionally, PPLT has engaged in extensive grant partnerships with the USDA, including multiple grants from the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

“Leveraging the 2501 Program funding, BFRDP, and NRCS grants has created a functional series of programs that we would never have had otherwise,” said Nathan Erwin, Director of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at PPLT. His work focuses on harnessing relational power to facilitate access to land, promote farm equity, and expand agroecological knowledge.

The organization is focused on improving Indigenous food sovereignty through several initiatives, including community gardens, mentorship programs for local farmers and marketing strategies for Indigenous produce.

“It is essential to have grants, partnerships, and networks because we can’t do this alone,” said Erwin. “Nonprofits need to collaborate to strengthen and build a more robust and sustainable food system for the future.”

The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) received a grant from the Institute of Self-Reliance (ILSR) to increase community composting efforts within PPLT’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program. PPLT was one of 10 awardees selected from a competitive pool of applicants across New England.

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance, founded in 1974, is a national research, advocacy, and technical assistance organization that empowers communities to take charge of their local resources, economies, and environmental future. Through its Composting for Community Initiative, ILSR promotes distributed and diverse local composting across the country, aiming to cut food loss, enhance soils and watersheds, support local food production, and protect the climate while addressing community prosperity and equity.

“We are grateful for this new partnership with the Institute for Local Self-Resiliency as composting is very important to our program,” says Musquant Nompashim Netas, Chief of the Ninigret Nehantick Nahaganset Clan and Leader of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program. “Composting is recycling. When we feed the Earth, the Earth will feed us.”

 

Point32Health Foundation has awarded the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust a two-year grant to support the Indigenous Food Sovereignty work in Southern Rhode Island and Connecticut. Program activities include building backyard gardens for Indigenous families and then training the families in caring for the gardens using traditional practices. The initiative is the brainchild of Musquant Nompashim Netas, leader of the Ninigret Nehantic Nahaganset Clan and Chief Sequan Pijaki, Chairman of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe.

Point32Health Foundation works with communities to support, advocate and advance healthier lives for everyone, building upon a tradition of service and giving at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan.

“We are grateful for this new partnership with Point32Health and look forward to building a more equitable food system together,” says Chief Sequan Pijaki.