BOSTON — One of the most popular days at the State House unfolded this past Wednesday, with legislators and staff sampling locally produced food and crops directly from the farmers, fisherman and producers at Agriculture Day.
While peddling their free wares in the Great Hall, food growers also tried to catch lawmakers’ ears on topics that are important to the agriculture industry – including promoting local food economies, cranberry bog renovation, and soil restoration and land stewardship.
Farmers also promoted a new tax credit in the governor’s fiscal year 2026 supplemental budget aimed at encouraging farms to donate surplus food, which they said helps connect agriculture with families in need. The refundable tax credit up to $5,000 mirrors a proposal filed in both the Senate and the House. The bill is in the House Ways and Means Committee.
The Healey administration also announced more than $3.3 million in funding through three agricultural grant programs: the Cranberry Renovation & Enhancement Program, the Climate Smart Agriculture Program, and the Buy Local Program. Recipients included producers in Rockport, Beverly, Hamilton and West Newbury.