Food trust program

This law establishes the “Massachusetts Food Trust Program” within the state’s Department of Economic Development. The purpose of this program is “to establish a financing infrastructure that increases access to healthy food options and improves economic opportunities for nutritionally underserved communities in urban, rural and suburban localities.” Financing through the resulting infrastructure is to be used for eligible projects, including infrastructure for urban and rural-based community-supported agriculture businesses; and the development, renovation and expansion of various other projects (including, but not limited to, supermarkets, farmers markets, community kitchens, food truck commissaries, indoor and outdoor greenhouses, winter and year-round farmers markets, and retail, restaurant and supporting food distribution hub options serving such food opportunity areas) provided the applicants for such projects demonstrate a meaningful commitment to sell fresh, local products.