CISA's April 2024 newsletter

You're invited! Come Tour Pause and Pivot Farm

Join CISA at Pause & Pivot Farm in Williamsburg on April 18th at 3 pm for a tour of their hydroponic container farm.

Discover the innovative techniques they use to grow a diverse array of greens and herbs year-round. You’ll also get a sneak peek at their brand-new woodworking operation at the farm, where salvaged and native wood are transformed into beautiful furniture and functional home goods.

This tour is offered on a sliding scale basis, and limited is space available, so please sign up in advance.

Seasonal Updates

Farmers' Markets are opening!

It's starting! Summer farmers' markets are opening this month in Brimfield (April 13th), Northampton (April 16th for the Tuesday Market, and April 27th for the Saturday market), Amherst, (April 27th), and Greenfield (April 27th). And there are many more to come -- stay tuned!

Full list of farmers' markets here >

HIP is year-round

Did you know that if you have SNAP, you can automatically get an instant rebate of at least $40 a month, all year round, when you buy produce from participating local farms and markets, thanks to the state's Healthy Incentives Program (HIP)?

Find a HIP location >

Sign up with a local farm now and get a weekly distribution of the harvest! Many farms allow for installment payments, or accept SNAP and HIP -- and don't forget about the UMassFive no-interest Farm Share loans!

Find your farm share >

CISA in action: State House advocacy visits

Over the past month, CISA staffers visited the State House twice to meet with our legislators and advocate for food systems priorities.

HIP Lobby Day

HIP (Healthy Incentives Program) makes it possible for low-income families to eat fresh, local produce. CISA staffers work with farmers' markets managers, vendors, and farm stands to make this program accessible to shoppers, and on March 26th we visited the State House to advocate for funding for HIP as part of the MA Food System Collaborative's HIP Lobby Day. We're delighted that Governor Healey's administration has committed to fully funding HIP at $25 million, and we're working to ensure that the $5.1 million currently in the supplemental budget is approved.

Want to help? Check out the Campaign for HIP Funding here >

Photo: Clarissa Adan, Julie Davis from Quabbin Harvest, Rep. Susannah Whipps, and Jim Simon

Ag Day at the State House

On April 3rd, CISA joined hundreds of farmers and ag advocates for a special, agriculture-focused day at the State House. We met with legislators to communicate CISA's budget priorities, including funding for agricultural infrastructure, CISA's Senior FarmShare program, HIP, and the MA Coalition of Local Food and Farms. We're beyond grateful to the western MA delegation for their support of local farms and CISA's anti-hunger work!

Photo: CISA staffers Molly Funk and Julia Mazzuchi with former CISA staffer Zoraia Barros

Read all about CISA's 2024 Local Hero Awardees!

Each year, CISA presents three Local Hero Awards to local businesses, partner organizations, or other food system rock stars who we are proud to be working alongside to build a better food system. We're delighted to announce our 2024 Local Hero Awards, who were honored at CISA's Annual Meeting on April 4th.

D & R Farm

Rob and Diane Rollins started their mixed vegetable and poultry farm on just a couple of acres in Hampden in 2009. Today, they're farming 110 acres, serving as the anchor vendor at multiple Hampden County farmers' markets, and helping to bridge mobility and financial barriers so their fresh, delicious food can be more available to everyone.

Read all about them >

Marty's Local

Marty’s Local, owned by Nick Martinelli, is a food distribution company with a dedicated focus on local and regional sourcing. Ninety percent of of the food grown on Massachusetts farms winds its way through complex channels to get from farm to table – and Marty’s Local smooths that complexity out, bridging the gaps and getting more local food onto more local peoples’ plates.

Read all about them >

Sutter Meats

Terry and Susan Ragasa opened Sutter Meats, a whole-animal butcher shop, 10 years ago in Northampton. Their excitement about sharing everything behind the meat with their customers is palpable: the story of the farms they source from, how the animals are cared for there, the many wonderful cuts of meat and preparations that are not as well-known, how all of this contributes to keeping farm systems intact and in place.

Read all about them >

Photo credit: Steph Craig

Year in Review: Seed and Harvest is out now

The past year was challenging, heartbreaking, hopeful, and deeply inspiring for us at CISA. We're proud to share our 2023 annual report, Seed + Harvest, with you. It contains reflections on the past year and highlights of CISA's work -- none of which would be possible without your support of CISA and of local agriculture!

Read Seed + Harvest >