Great Barrington, MA–Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV) is pleased to announce that it has received a $242,000 planning grant under the USDA's Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) Program. BAV is one of just seven organizations nationwide to be awarded a 2026 grant.
The RFSP grant will support a regionally significant project focused on expanding local food sales/purchasing opportunities for area farmers and public and private institutions including schools, colleges, hospitals, and prisons. The project will involve multiple partners and will span the Berkshire-Taconic region of Berkshire County, MA; Litchfield County, CT; and Columbia and Dutchess counties, NY. BAV will serve as the project lead, working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Connecticut Department of Agriculture, and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Other key partners include Farm to Institution New England (FINE), Massachusetts Farm to School, American Farmland Trust Farm to Institution NY State, and UConn Extension.
“Every meal served in our schools, hospitals, and prisons is more than just food on a plate – it’s a chance to strengthen our local economy, support family farms, and build a healthier future. By aligning our efforts across three states, this project creates a rare opportunity to move beyond state-level fragmentation and build a unified, thriving food economy that benefits our farmers and our communities alike,” said BAV Local Food Systems Program Manager Jake Levin, who is leading the project for BAV.
“This initiative strengthens the diverse connections that make our regional food system more resilient. Expanding farm-to-institution pathways aligns with our commitment to supporting an inclusive food system that benefits producers and consumers alike. We look forward to working with BAV and other partners to advance this shared vision,” said Bryan P. Hurlburt, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, a core project partner.
Titled “Farm to Institution Value Chain Expansion in the Berkshire-Taconic Region,” BAV’s project will identify key gaps, needs, and opportunities related to strengthening farm-to-institution relationships and activities across our region. BAV and partners will conduct interviews with area farmers, institutional food purchasers, distributors, food hubs, and other stakeholders to better understand existing and needed infrastructure, capacity, partnerships, and policies for this work. The project also will involve other information-gathering and analysis of factors that impact farm-to-institution connections in our area.
BAV’s project will be undertaken over the next two years. As a key outcome, BAV will develop a strategic plan to support and strengthen farm-to-institution partnerships in the Berkshire-Taconic region. This plan will help guide efforts by multiple groups to enhance local food purchasing by our regional institutions and increase sales opportunities and stability for local farmers – supporting a longer-term goal of creating a more resilient and equitable regional food system.
“BAV is thrilled to launch this project, which builds on our emerging farm-to-institution work over the past year. There is great research documenting how local food purchasing by institutions strengthens regional economics and benefits public health. As a nonprofit dedicated to supporting local farmers, BAV is especially focused on how farm-to-institution partnerships can create expanded sales channels for farmers, strengthening farm viability and our local farm economy,” said BAV Executive Director Rebecca Busansky.
