Contact your legislators and ask them to help advance the Farm to School Grant Bill (S.243 and H.558) and the Local Food Incentive Bill (H.3993) before time runs out this legislative session.

Together, these two bills will help provide the structure and support for robust local food sourcing and education at schools throughout Massachusetts. The Farm to School Grant Bill would establish a permanent grant program within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide eligible schools and early education and care programs the critical funds needed to start up or expand farm to school activities. The program would support the infrastructure investments, staff training, and educational initiatives that lead to farm to school program success and sustainability. The Local Food Incentive Bill would establish a 3-year pilot program within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide eligible schools and early education programs additional funds for meals featuring locally grown and caught foods.The pilot would build upon an incredibly successful federally funded incentive, Northeast Food for Schools, which is set to expire at the end of this school year. The bill will help more schools ensure all their students can access healthy local foods while also driving business to Massachusetts farmers and fishers – building a more resilient local food system.

Want more information about the two bills? Download a fact sheet.