Ten representatives of Massachusetts State Departments, Mass in Motion communities, and several local food policy councils gathered in the conference room of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission in Worcester on November 6, 2014 for a meeting called by the Massachusetts Food Policy Alliance. The four-hour session offered the opportunity for participants to exchange information and ideas on how to improve the network of food policy councils including creating connections among Mass in Motion communities and Community Health Network Areas (CHNAs). Many are currently contributing to the Massachusetts Food System Plan being developed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The mission of the Food Policy Alliance is to bring together diverse stakeholders across the food system, from farmers to consumers, to create a sustainable, systematic, effective and inclusive food policy for Massachusetts. The Alliance was formed in 2007 but has been inactive recently until consultant Winton Pitcoff called this meeting. He has also conducted a recent survey of statewide Councils. For more information about the Alliance and to receive notices of future meetings, email Winton Pitcoff.

(Top row) Commissioner Gregory Watson of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) updates participants on some of the new funding available through the Environmental Bond Bill for urban agriculture projects. (Row two) Commissioner Watson answers questions from Fitchburg and Cambridge Mass in Motion Coordinators Nancy Fillers and Dawn Olcott. (Row three) Betsy Johnson of the Springfield Food Policy Council and Food Policy Alliance Consultant Winton Pitcoff listen as Judy Fallows of Healthy Waltham offers some ideas for future meetings of the Alliance. (Bottom row) Greater Fall River Partners Executive Director David Weed, Department of Public Health Environmental Health Director Suzanne Condon, Jill Lucius of Fitchburg Public Schools and Liz Sheehan Castro of the Worcester Food and Active Living Policy Council project engage in the discussion.