By Renée Scott, Massachusetts Pollinator Network Coordinator

Use the link above to send a quick message to your legislator asking them to support any/all of our high priority pesticide reform bills introduced in January 2024.

The Massachusetts State legislature is considering several bills which would move our Commonwealth away from reliance on toxic biocides (life-killing chemicals) like glyphosate and toward life-honoring solutions for landcare and agriculture. Awareness and support among legislators has grown significantly and new science continues to emerge which validates our movement supporting swift action to protect the health and integrity of our communities, human and non-human alike.

UPDATE: Legislators returned from their summer recess in September, but little has happened since. Only one of the priority bills we are following has made it out of the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (Modernize Pesticide Reporting AND protect children from pesticide exposure (S.487/H.825) – see below for details). We need to remind our legislators that pesticide reform bills need to be a priority!

Bills must move out of their original committee by February 7th, or they are dead for this legislative session. Please ask legislators to co-sponsor and support movement of the following bills:
  • Create a Pesticide Reform Task Force (S.521/H.783) – A bill to create a “pesticide control modernization and environmental protection task force” was recommended and “ought to pass” last session and is our top priority this session, as it will help address a host of systemic concerns in a holistic manner. Whatever your concerns are re: pesticides, you have a reason to support this bill.
  • Return local control over pesticides (S.540/H.814) – This bill would return power to communities to protect their families, food and water from harmful pesticide exposure.
  • Modernize Pesticide Reporting AND protect children from pesticide exposure (S.487/H.825)
    UPDATE: This bill was recently reported out favorably to the House Ways and Means Committee! This combined bill, which was approved by both chambers last year, would create an online portal and database for pesticide use reporting records with clear, online public access to the annual data and it would require that pesticides be proven safe before being used on playgrounds and fields where children learn and play.

State issues “Challenge Grants” to implement the Healthy Soils Action Plan, Due January 19th

Time sensitive and great news! On December 8th, 2023, the Executive office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released the details of the Healthy Soils Challenge Grants Initiative, an effort to implement the Healthy Soils Action Plan. They are inviting “interested public and private organizations, research institutions, and community groups to submit proposals for projects that promote and implement innovative solutions for improving soil health and sustainable land management practices.” Grants range from $3,000 to $100,000 with grant durations of 6 – 18 months.

In order to find the best applicants and solutions, we need help getting the word out ASAP: Applications are due Friday, January 19th, 2024.

An online information session for interested parties is being held on Tuesday, December 19th at 2:30 pm. To register email Executive Secretary Thomas Anderson at thomas.anderson@mass.gov.

The new RFR (Request For Responses) is posted on the Commonwealth’s “Commbuys” site, here.

As this excerpt from the RFR explains: 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts recently completed a three-year study and plan called the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Action Plan (“HSAP”). The plan brings together in one document the science of soil health, its importance in sustaining healthy ecosystems, the current state of soil ecosystems here in Massachusetts, and finally, action steps that can be taken at all levels to recognize its importance and improve soil health.

As the next logical step of the HSAP, The State Commission for Conservation of Soil, Water & Related Resources, the Division of Conservation Services, and the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs are pleased to announce the availability of Challenge Grants for proposed projects that pick up on and begin to implement recommendations from the HSAP.

We invite interested public and private organizations, research institutions, and community groups to submit proposals for projects that promote and implement innovative solutions for improving soil health and sustainable land management practices, based on the recommendations of the HSAP. Through this initiative we intend to address critical environmental and agricultural challenges; promote sustainable food production; find ways to  monitor and improve the soil’s health in forest and wetland communities, recreational and  ornamental lands, impervious environments; and broadly enhance the soil organic carbon stocks in Massachusetts.

The primary objectives of these healthy soils Challenge Grants are as follows:

a. Promote Soil Health: To support demonstration type projects that document,  prioritize and implement practices aimed at improving soil health and fertility.

b. Sustainable Land Management: To encourage innovative approaches to  sustainable land management that minimize environmental degradation,  enhance biodiversity and/or restore degraded soil health.

c. Community Engagement: To foster community involvement and education in  sustainable land practices and soil health improvement.

d. Refine Tools for Municipal Soil Mapping, Assessment + Planning: Update and  distribute assessment and planning tools to enable municipalities, regional  planning districts, and conservation organizations to visualize and integrate soil health into regular workflows.

This initiative is a direct result of the long standing and ongoing advocacy efforts undertaken by a broad coalition of healthy soils advocates, with funding provided by a $1.02M FY24 budget appropriation championed by Senator Comerford, Representative Schmid, Senator Gobi and Representative Duffy.

We at NOFA/Mass are grateful to see this initiative moving and hope that all parties who are interested and able to submit an application to participate receive this notice in time.

Caption : Aligning USDA food purchasing values to support a just, healthy, and sustainable food system.

NOFA/Mass Endorses Sen. Markey’s EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act

The US Department of Agriculture is the largest food purchaser in the federal government—spending billions each year on food for schools, senior feeding programs, reservations, and food banks. A new bill introduced in the US Senate by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) proposes aligning USDA food purchases with values to support a just, healthy, and sustainable food system.

A recent analysis found current USDA food spending mostly benefits a handful of corporations and has a huge carbon footprint. The EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act would direct USDA food purchasing to: support workers & socially disadvantaged producers; mitigate climate change; increase market fairness; expand healthy & culturally diverse food choices; and improve animal welfare.

NOFA/Mass is proud to endorse this bill and was honored when Sen. Markey’s office reached out directly to involve our organization in the announcement of the bill’s introduction.

What this bill would do:

  • Direct USDA to use its existing framework for food procurement to prioritize procurement of food products that support the values and policy objectives listed above.

  • Create a $25 million pilot program that would:

    • Shift USDA away from evaluating bids based only on cost to evaluating bids based on values, including climate mitigation, worker well-being, resilient supply chains, and equity;

    • Provide grants and technical assistance to support small and socially disadvantaged producers and businesses to access market opportunities through USDA’s procurement;

    • Study how USDA can shift its procurement toward a regional model;

    • Measure the greenhouse gas emissions associated with USDA’s procurement and reduce emissions in line with the Biden Administration’s commitments; and

    • Increase transparency in USDA’s food purchasing.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on this bill’s movement. In the meantime, be sure to reach out to Sen. Markey to thank him for introducing the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act!