BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the awarding of $427,075 in Specialty Crop Block Grants to six organizations across the Commonwealth for the Federal Fiscal Year 2022. The block grants, which are funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), seek to support and promote specialty agricultural products through different strategies, such as farmer and consumer outreach and education, pest control research, community cooking classes, and promoting connections in underserved communities. The USDA defines specialty crops as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.

“The Baker-Polito Administration is proud to support specialty crops producers and products, which represent an important segment of the Commonwealth’s agricultural industry and include cranberries, honey, maple, and herbs,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card. “The Massachusetts agricultural industry remains a vital component to local, regional, and state economies, and contained within its core is the harvesting and producing of these specialty crops that are bought and sold around the world.”

“The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is extremely thankful for this partnership with the USDA to provide these grants to Massachusetts farmers and commodity associations in an effort to continue to promote locally grown food,” said MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux. “The Baker-Polito Administration is thrilled that the six applicants were awarded funds to continue to ensure the long-term viability of agriculture in Massachusetts.”

The following are the Specialty Crop Block Grants recipients for Federal Fiscal Year 2022:

Collaborative for Educational Services – Northampton, MA: Award: $79,840

• The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) will partner with Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) to train historically underserved Hampshire County residents and other participants on managing businesses and/or programs that increase sales of Massachusetts specialty crops. CES will coordinate a needs assessment to develop a 12-part training series, enroll and support program participants, disseminate a training resource for future adoption, and evaluate the program’s success. CISA will develop and present the training program’s modules, offer one-on-one coaching to support underserved residents, and develop and disseminate a training resource.

Coastal Foodshed – New Bedford, MA: Award: $62,690

• Through Coastal Foodshed’s Learn to Love Local program, they will educate customers on the seasonality of Massachusetts-grown specialty crops through free workshops where participants will learn simple and affordable ways to preserve and store seasonal crops. Coastal Foodshed will also develop a comprehensive marketing campaign and materials to be distributed through markets and social media channels and housed on their website to reach additional community members. Coastal Foodshed plans to compile all of the learned information into a digital resource to also be permanently available on their website and to be shared with partnering organizations and farmers.

Farm & Community Collaborative – Lakeville, MA: Award: $76,500

• Farm & Community Collaborative, Inc. will partner with a local technical advisor and mechanical engineer to provide four Massachusetts small farms with 23 “Green Scarecrow” laser units as well as one-on-one technical assistance in the 2023 season, with priority given to beginning and/or socially disadvantaged farmers. Green Scarecrow is an eco-friendly laser technology that mitigates bird damage in orchards, vineyards, and field crops. The goal of the project is to improve pest control processes to increase production yields and economic return for small farms, which would ultimately increase consumer purchasing and consumption of specialty crops.

Groundwork Lawrence – Lawrence, MA: Award: $58,726

• Groundwork Lawrence (GWL) will promote the purchase and utilization of specialty crops and create a healthier Lawrence by re-establishing their community cooking classes following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and increased vaccination rates. Resident interest in learning cooking techniques and the use of both familiar and new produce will be addressed through a series of intentionally focused cooking classes with nearly 200 participants over the three-year grant period. Groundwork Lawrence plans to increase the consumption of specialty crops in Lawrence and foster improved public health through this grant.

Mill City Grows – Lowell, MA: Award: $68,487

• Mill City Grows will conduct their Cultural Connections program to facilitate access to and education about fresh, local, culturally connected specialty crops for socially disadvantaged communities with a focus on Southeast Asian, Latinx, and African Diaspora communities in Lowell, MA. The goal is to increase the purchase and consumption of culturally connected specialty crops as a result of this project. Mill City Grows will conduct community and field research on the most desirable specialty crops and how to grow them in the local region, expand point-of-sale education with staffed outreach tables and multilingual marketing, and develop a network of regional grower support.

Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts – Barre, MA: Award: $80,832

• The Massachusetts Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA/Mass) will provide outreach and education to farmers and consumers in an effort to increase the prevalence of agroforestry production systems and demand for local nut crops in Massachusetts through agroforestry systems development plans, education events, and outreach initiatives geared toward farmers and consumers.

“I appreciate the Baker-Polito administration working to the end of their term and continuing to recognize the importance of local agriculture,” said State Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer). “NOFA has provided innovative pathways for local farmers to be sustainable and this agroforestry grant will be well used.”

“Mill City Grows has been an invaluable resource for the City of Lowell and the entire region,” said State Senator Edward J. Kennedy (D-Lowell). “I want to thank the Baker-Polito Administration for their support of specialty crops in the Commonwealth through this very important grant program.”

“Expanding, promoting, and advancing specialty agricultural products benefit not only the public but produce a more food secure and healthy community, particularly, our underserved communities,” said State Representative Vanna Howard (D-Lowell). “USDA’s investment is vital to Massachusetts specialty crop producers, creating a more fair and equitable food system.”

“It is wonderful to see this partnership between the CES and CISA that leans into the Valley's desire for local food and a strong local food economy,” said State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa (D-Northampton). “I look forward to seeing the fruits of this new initiative.”

For more information about Specialty Crop Block Grants, please visit MDAR’s program webpage.

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