Dec
Three Farmers Awarded MFBAPF John & Liolia Schipper Grants
Through a geneours bequest from the late John and Liolia Schipper, the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Agricultural Preservation Foundation (MFBAPF) was able to award three Massachusetts farmers grants. These grants are focused on assisting Massachusetts farmers in becoming more economically viable and sustainable.
“It is challenging to farm in the Commonwealth as we have some of the highest costs of production in the world,” said Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) President Warren Shaw. “These grants allow our organization to assist farmers in their creative projects to diversify their on-farm income. I look forward to seeing the three projects this year’s grants fund completed and working for these farmers.”
From more than a dozen applicants, MFBAPF, selected the following three farmers for these projects:
- Thomas Farm of Sunderland – They are adding fencing to their pastures so they can rotate pasture and control parasites in their goat herd.
- Kristen Tool & Chris Wheeler of Lanesborough – They are creating metal raised beds to plant in parts of their farm that the soil is currently unsuitable for growing.
- Walker Farm at Whortleberry Hill in New Braintree – They are purchasing a freeze drier to create dog goodies using offal and bones from processed beef.
Applications for the 2023 grant program will be available next fall with a deadline in late October 2022. Applicants must be a regular Farm Bureau member in good standing.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients!