Gov. Maura T. Healey’s administration said Monday it awarded state farm food grants to a Haverhill-based agency and others following cuts in a similar federal program by the Trump administration.
The competitive Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health—or FRESH—grants went to 26 school districts and 11 early education and care programs, including $28,053 to Community Action and $20,785 to the Merrimack Valley Young YMCA.
“While the Trump administration continues to take away food from children and families, and hurt local businesses and farmers, Massachusetts is continuing to prioritize programs like these,” said Healey in a statement. “We know that our students succeed when they have access to healthy food, and we can create partnerships that support local businesses and farms in the process.”
As WHAV reported March 10, the feds cancelled nationwide this year’s allocation from the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program. Healey said the state money supports the National School Lunch Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsors to start or expand their capacity to grow or procure local food and educate students, teachers, school nutrition professionals and staff about the local food system.
Money can also be used for infrastructure and programming for curricular and extracurricular activities, such as school gardens, indoor hydroponic growing systems, culinary classes and farm field trips. It also supports professional development for nutrition professionals to enhance school meal offerings and professional development for educators to bring food literacy activities or curriculum to students. Further, grants can be used for kitchen equipment for preparing unprocessed or minimally processed local foods for school meals and to support new staff salaries, stipends or consultant fees to ensure activities are strategically integrated into the classroom, cafeteria and community.