Food and Environmental Justice Initiatives Fuel Intertwined Equity Movements in Massachusetts
In partnership with: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Everyone in the commonwealth is entitled to live in a clean and healthy environment,” says Rebecca Davidson, director of food and climate equity at Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Because that right includes access to nutritious food, the environmental and food justice movements organically mesh.
Environmental justice is the equal protection and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies and the equitable distribution of environmental benefits.
Food justice focuses on land ownership, agricultural practices, distribution of technology and resources, workers’ rights and other similar aspects, especially concerning underserved communities, lending itself to correspond with environmental justice and sustainability initiatives.
“The ability to access nutritious, culturally relevant food intersects with the ability to access quality land to grow and sell food,” Davidson says. “Food justice strives for a full circle system – providing food to underserved communities by purchasing food and supporting historically underserved farmers and/or socially disadvantaged farmers.”
In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and LFPA Plus programs, MDAR administered $14 million to community projects to enhance recipients’ ability to buy food from disadvantaged farmers.
Positive outcomes are already evident. According to Davidson, the projects procured food from 410 unique producers – nearly half of which self-identified as socially disadvantaged farmers – to serve 196 communities across the commonwealth.
“It’s important that the producers growing and selling the food are representative of the communities we’re striving to serve with that fresh food,” Davidson says.
Breaking Barriers
Debbie Callery, executive director at Merrimack Valley Food Bank, adds that food equality is part of a broader objective.
“Providing access to healthy food removes one of the barriers that can prevent our neighbors from achieving success in their chosen pursuits,” she says.
Awarded $50,000, MVFB illustrates how the LFPA/LFPA Plus program bridges the gap between food sovereignty and food equity.
“This grant enables us to offer more food to our member organizations and, specifically, with an increased emphasis on fresh produce,” Callery says.
MVFB currently serves 107 year-round feeding programs in 33 cities located in Middlesex and Essex counties, including food pantries, meal sites and temporary residential homes. Callery attests that MVFB recognizes the importance of providing equitable access to nutrition through local channels.
“We strive to purchase local products whenever possible,” Callery says. “We want to support the people producing food right here in our community, and we recognize the environmental benefits of not having to order food that’s transported over long distances.”
See more: State and National Programs Expand Food Access in Massachusetts
Forging Relationships
MVFB credits Mill City Grows, another nonprofit focused on local food justice, with helping to forge new relationships with multiple socially disadvantaged farmers for the implementation of this grant and beyond.
Collaborating with these farmers, MVFB can purchase smaller quantities of select produce items, which makes a big difference in offering produce variety to members. Depending on harvests, this includes assorted greens, root vegetables and squash.
Davidson says these funds have been a game changer, and Callery agrees but knows there’s more work to be done.
“This project is impacting equitable food access,” Callery says. “But there’s much work to do. Food insecurity remains a pressing concern, so we all work harder to meet the growing need.”
To award another round of grants, Congress must allocate additional funding – for example, the EAT Local Foods Act – to extend the LFPA program, which launched in 2021 as part of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s initiatives to transform the food system and build resilient regional supply chains.
