BOSTON — Last week, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced that nine farms across the commonwealth will be sharing a $710,140 agricultural preservation grant.
These farms, which are protected already by the state’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction, will be helped with business planning and technical assistance. Five of the nine beneficiaries are based in Western Massachusetts.
Pittsfield’s Forthill Farm is one of the recipients of the grant and will receive $90,000. The farm will be using the grant to increase the size of its existing farmstand building. This will increase operational efficiency for retail sales, washing and packaging produce, and storage.
Amherst Nurseries in Charlemont will receive $120,000 to build a new barn. The addition will increase its storage capacity of equipment and its bare-root nursery stock, which will expand production and help preserve soil health.
Montague’s Brook’s Bend Farm will use its $60,000 grant to renovate an existing barn. The new building will speed up the process of washing and packing produce, and ensure a safe space for farm owners and lessees for generations. The barn also will house a farm office, equipment storage and a space for retail sales.
Chase Hill Farm in Warwick will use its $120,000 grant to work on three buildings. The farm will finish constructing a heavy-use area and manure management structure, build an additional hay storage barn, and repair a dairy and hay barn. The dairy herd health and productivity should improve, along with the feed quality and speed of operations.
With its $60,000 grant, the Four Corners Farm in Worthington will build a new building with space for retail sales and storing produce. It will also increase the efficiency of washing and packaging produce.
Other farms in the state will be using their grants to renovate existing buildings, or erect brand new barns and other buildings.
“The valuable business and technical assistance provided through (the APR Improvement Program) will help these farms stay in business for many more generations. We thank these farm families for their commitment to preserving our workable farmland in the commonwealth and keeping it sustainable for years to come,” said Ashley Randle, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources, in a statement.
