Press Releases

WORCESTER, MA – This week, U.S. Representative Jim McGovern (MA-02) hosting his 7th annual cross-district agricultural tour to meet with farmers, agricultural producers, non-profit farming organizations and community development corporations in Central and Western Massachusetts to highlight the success of our region’s agricultural industry and its role in growing the local economy.

McGovern is meeting with local producers of vegetables, dairy, and meat, and will also meet with non-profit farming organizations and community development corporations. McGovern will be joined by leaders from the USDA, Mass. State Farm Service Agency, Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources, UMass, Central MA Grown, as well as many other local, state and federal leaders.

On the farm tour, Congressman McGovern will speak directly with farmers about the issues impacting them and how he can help. The tour will include visits to local farms as well as roundtable discussions on a wide range of topics such as: Farms in Transition, exploring new sources of revenue through the sale of additional agricultural products and the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) and Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI), new efforts to helps tackle hunger by making SNAP benefits eligible for purchasing food at farmers markets and other agricultural commercial venues. Click here to learn more about the HIP and FINI programs. Congressman McGovern will see firsthand the impact of local, state and federal programs and discuss additional ways that government at all levels can support the Massachusetts food economy.

A Full List of Congressman McGovern’s Massachusetts Farm Tour is below:

Tuesday, August 22nd – Day 1

8:00-9:00AM: Tour of Douglas Orchard, 36 Locust Street, Douglas

9:30-10:30AM: Tour of Highloft Farm, 24 King Road, Sutton

11:00AM-12:00PM: Tour of Robinson Greenhouses, 434 Grove Street, Paxton

12:15-1:30PM: Lunch & Roundtable on Farms in Transition at Schultz Country Store & Barnside Café, 163 Maple Avenue, Rutland

1:45–2:45PM: Tour of Dismas Family Farm, 687 Lincoln Road, Oakham

3:00-4:00PM: Tour of Walker Farm at Whorteberry Hill, 1290 West Brookfield Road, New Braintree

4:30-5:30PM: Tour of Hartman’s Herb Farm & Bed and Breakfast, 1026 Old Dana Road, Barre

Wednesday, August 23rd – Day 2

8:00-9:00AM: Tour of UMass Amherst Cold Spring Orchard, 391 Sabin Street, Belchertown

9:30-10:30AM: Tour of Simple Gifts Farm, 1089 North Pleasant Street, Amherst

10:50-11:50AM: Tour of Bardwell Farm, 49 Main Street, Hatfield

12:00-1:30PM: Lunch & Roundtable on HIP/FINI at Nourse Farms, 41 River Road, South Deerfield

1:45-2:45PM: Tour of Sage Farm, 119 Old Sunderland Road, Montague

3:00-3:45PM: Tour of Australis Farm, 1 Australis Road, Turners Falls

For more info and to RSVP, please contact Abraham White at abraham.white@mail.house.gov.