A coordinated philanthropic effort is underway to help farms in western Massachusetts devastated this month by flooding from torrential rainstorms.
Gov. Maura Healey announced the new Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund, created she explained, to accept donations from individuals, organizations, and foundations and quickly distribute the money to impacted farmers.
“This was the most direct and quickest way to get relief to people who need it,” Healey said. “Direct relief. Money out the door.”
Speaking at Mountain View Farm in Easthampton Thursday, Healey promoted a website https://www.classy.org/give/503065/#!/donation/checkout where donations to the fund can be made.
“These farmers need the money now” Healey said. “We can not wait for federal funding, which we will pursue. We will pursue state funding, but right now everybody in Massachusetts has a chance to step up.”
The fund launched with $100,000 committed to it initially.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell donated $10,000 from settlements made by her office. The Eastern States Exposition also pledged an initial $10,000 donation.
The United Way of Central Massachusetts will administer the fund. A regional advisory committee will assure the money goes to where it is most needed, said Megan Burke, president of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.
“So we can really make sure the funds are going to those who need it the most not just those who have the greatest capacity to fill out an application,” Burke said in an interview. “We want this to be an equitable process and we are putting western Massachusetts farmers first.”
There was applause when Healey said money from the fund will be distributed as grants, not loans.
More debt is the last thing farmers need right now, said Liz Adler, the co-owner of Mountain View Farm.
“I do feel 100 percent like we are in a lot of debt already as all farmers are and so going into more debt at a time when we are so vulnerable does not feel like the right thing to do,” Adler said.
Her farm lost in the flooding about 45 acres of crops including sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes.
“It was a catastrophic loss for us,” Adler said.
The state estimates the flooding this month impacted 75 farms wiping out about 2,000 acres of crops. The loss is put at $15 million.
Healey said the farm fund will not be the only help made available.
“To the farmers, I want you to know we are in it for the long haul,” Healey said.
State Sen. Jo Comerford of Northampton told WAMC she is confident the Senate will pass a relief package soon.
“We want to be responsive. We know public money is needed for direct cash grant assistance to farmers, and I believe the Senate is going to bring it.”
Members of the state’s Congressional delegation signed a letter this week to the Biden administration seeking a federal disaster declaration.
Also while in western Massachusetts Thursday, Healey announced funding grants totaling more than $26 million have been awarded to 165 projects across the state that strengthen the food supply system.
“The investments here in food security, our local providers, our local producers, our local farms is something that the Lieutenant Governor and I and our entire team are big time committed to,” Healey said.
For the first time, the state’s Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program prioritized projects that address drought and other extreme weather events.
Healey announced the statewide funding awards at Fruit Fair Supermarket in Chicopee. The owners plans to use the $500,000 award from the state to build three hydroponic greenhouses to grow fruits and vegetables on the roof of the store – a project that will be the first of its kind in the state.
Co-owner Sam Newell said much of what is grown in the greenhouses will be donated to people in need.
“If we can’t help people with food access then why are we even here?” Newell said. “It questions the very existence of us. So that is our mission: food access, food security.”
