Central Mass Grown Receives $60,000 Grant
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
GoLocalProv Business Team
The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission and the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission have received a $60,000 grant to establish Central Mass Grown from the Massachusett Department of Agricultural Resources.
Central Mass Grown is a Buy Local group that will build business relationships with local farmers, consumers, institutions and like-minded organizations as well as promote and build awareness of farm products grown and produced in central Massachusetts.
CMRPC and MRPC are headquartered in Worcester and Fitchburg, respectively.
“Buy Local groups create and foster a successful, personal relationship between regional agriculture and their communities,” said DAR Commissioner Greg Watson. “The Patrick Administration is thrilled to support these organizations and looking forward to the central Massachusetts region benefiting from the Buy Local movement.”
Regional Buy Local groups connect farmers to their surrounding communities and vice versa. Buy Local groups began in 1993 in the Pioneer Valley and are committed to the idea that knowing where your food comes from makes both good health and economic sense. Originally formed to identify and address marketing challenges in specific geographical communities across the Commonwealth, these groups have grown as a sustainable business movement that includes innovative marketing and educational programs.
“Central Massachusetts not only has some of the state’s most pristine sceneries but amazing local farms,” said Senator Michael O. Moore. “This grant funding will allow the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission to promote and to spread the word about buying local agricultural products. Buying locally not only helps support local businesses and residents, but also ensures consumers will have access to healthy and fresh farm grown products.”
"The ‘Buy Local’ initiative is something we have vigorously supported since coming into the legislature in 2011,” said Representative Chris Markey. “Supplying our farmers with the resources they need is essential to local agriculture and the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership has done a great job of doing so throughout the South Coast. We are pleased to have supported these grants in the legislature and even more excited to see them at work in the South Coast."
The Department of Agricultural Resources has awarded $300,000 in total to seven Buy Local Groups to enhance agriculture in communities across Massachusetts.