Bill > H861

This bill aims to support the Commonwealth's farmers in several ways: 1. It establishes a circuit rider program within the Department of Agricultural Resources to provide on-site guidance to businesses regulated by the department about state programs, regulations, and funding opportunities. This program will assist farmers in a non-enforcement capacity. 2. It modifies the valuation process for land restricted for agricultural purposes to include the appraised value of any easements and infrastructure on the entire parcel. 3. It creates the "Next Generation Farmers Fund" to provide $3 million annually for an agricultural workforce development grant program focused on supporting first-time farmers and programs that serve minority, low-income, and disabled students, as well as those that include hands-on training and practices to mitigate climate change. 4. It expands the definition of land considered to be in "horticultural use" for tax assessment purposes. 5. It makes several changes to the application and assessment process for agricultural, horticultural, and recreational land classifications to provide more flexibility and clarity. 6. It requires the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to develop plans to support agricultural, seafood, and processed food production in the Commonwealth to mitigate impacts of food supply chain disruptions.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H861