By Bob Katzen

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) announced more than $2 million for the Climate Smart Agriculture Grant Program (CSAP) to help 68 Massachusetts farms and agricultural businesses buy new equipment, upgrade buildings and install clean energy systems that cut costs and boost productivity. The grants are designed to support 78 projects to improve food safety, reduce energy costs, protect natural resources and strengthen the long-term sustainability and resilience of Massachusetts agriculture.

“The CSAP grants are an investment in our farms’ future,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “With this support, farmers can buy better equipment, improve composting and adopt climate-smart practices – making Massachusetts agriculture more resilient and ready for future generations of growers.”

“Our farmers are on the front lines of unpredictable and extreme weather, and the Climate Smart Agriculture Program is about giving them the tools to adapt to those pressures,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “By investing in operational and infrastructure upgrades, we are helping Massachusetts farms adapt to an ever-changing environment, protect their livelihoods and continue to thrive as the backbone of our local food system that benefits us all.”