Sen Eldridge and Rep. Hogan announce $20,000 grant to conduct food security assessment in MetroWest communities
Hudson – State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough) and State Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow) are happy to announce that the town of Hudson has received a $20,000 Local Food Policy Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) as part of its Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
The Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan was adopted in 2015, aiming to empower a localized approach to meeting communities' needs regarding food systems and insecurity. In doing so, local food policy councils were established to boost the production and consumption of products from local growers, promote higher quality of life for farmers, enhance environmental responsibility, and provide accessible locally sourced healthy foods to all. The Local Food Policy Grant is a critical component of providing the necessary funds to make the work of food policy councils a reality.
Hudson is home to the regional food policy council, MetroWest Food Collaborative, which has tirelessly worked to realize their vision of food justice for all. The collaborative works across the region with growers, distributors, and partners across the community to ensure that people have access to healthy locally sourced food while supporting farmers and preserving natural resources.
“Continuing to invest in the amazing work done by the MetroWest Food Collaborative in Hudson is important to meaningfully resolving food insecurity in a way that uplifts the entire community. I’m very grateful to Governor Healey and MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle for their commitment to serving our community and the work of the MetroWest Food Collaborative to secure this funding.” said State Senator Eldridge (D-Marlborough) “By bringing together stakeholders from across the entire food system, the MetroWest Food Collaborative has made great strides toward realizing food accessibility as a human right.”
"With this grant funding, the MetroWest Shared Public Health Services (MWSPHS) and MetroWest Food Collaborative will work with MAPC to conduct a comprehensive MetroWest Regional Food Access Assessment & Action Plan - marking a significant step forward in our regional approach to food security," said Rep. Kate Hogan. "Spanning nine towns across MetroWest, the project will generate actionable data on food access disparities, transportation-linked barriers, and the impacts of federal benefit reductions. The results will provide local health departments, town governments, and community organizations with an evidence-based framework to improve food security and equity across our diverse region. We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources for making this important study possible.
Visit the Mass Department of Agriculture FY26 Local Food Policy Grant Press Release to learn more information about the grant and the allocation of funds.
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