The Healey-Driscoll Administration last week announced over $22 million in grants to support 113 local food producers and food system organizations, in addressing food insecurity in Massachusetts. Among these are four Gloucester-based organizations.
The funds will help strengthen the state’s 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 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.
Among the local recipients of funding are Gloucester’s Backyard Growers ($42,051), The Open Door/Cape Ann Food Pantry ($127,538), North Atlantic Cold Storage ($310,794), and North Atlantic Pacific Seafood (($80,098).
“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.”
“From our farms to our fishing boats, local food producers are the foundation of Massachusetts’ economy, food security, and community resilience,” said MA Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester). “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.”
“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.
“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.”
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