Baker-Polito Administration Announces Seafood Marketing Program Partnership with Massachusetts Farm to School

BOSTON – December 28, 2016 – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the
Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF)’s Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Program has
partnered with the nonprofit Massachusetts Farm to School Project to promote the
consumption of local seafood in schools.

«The Massachusetts commercial fishing and seafood industries provide delicious food
and employment for thousands of people in the Commonwealth,» said Governor Charlie
Baker. «This is a great connection to make and we look forward to the partnership
between Massachusetts fishermen and farm-to-school programs to provide the
Commonwealth’s children with fresh, nutritious seafood products that support
cognitive development.»

«Increasing sales of local seafood to schools will not only help find new markets
for Massachusetts fishermen, but will also address the critical issue of access to
healthy food, and introduce future consumers to the benefits of incorporating
seafood into their diet,» said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew
Beaton. «The Baker-Polito Administration is proud to launch this initiative that
will both help keep our children healthy, and support the Commonwealth’s vital
fishing industry.»

During the two-year partnership, the partners will promote seafood as part of
Massachusetts Farm to School’s Massachusetts Harvest of the Month campaign, hold a
series of local seafood cooking demonstrations for institutional food service
providers, and offered a seafood focus track at the Massachusetts Farm & Sea to
Cafeteria Conference in November 2016.

«This partnership helps DMF better increase awareness and preference of
Massachusetts seafood to support the Commonwealth’s seafood industry and communities
by reaching schools, universities, and hospital food service staff, educators, and
families though Massachusetts Farm to School’s network,» said DMF Director David
Pierce.

The Baker-Polito Administration
launched
the Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Program in August 2016 to increase awareness and
demand for local seafood products and support Massachusetts’ fishing and seafood
industries.

«Promoting a joint venture of locally produced seafood, fruit, vegetables, and other
produce is not only a great way to support fishermen and fishing families the port
communities that support the seafood industry, it also reduces environmental impacts
of transporting foods long distances, gives a real boost to our quality of life and
it promotes a healthy diet,» said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester).
«This partnership between harvesters of the land and sea will bring good nutrition
to our students and yield many benefits including a greater awareness of the
excellent results of Massachusetts produce.»
«The Farm to School program has been immensely successful in the Commonwealth and
including locally sourced seafood into the mix is a necessary and welcome
progression,» said State Representative Paul Schmid III (D-Westport), House Chair of
the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. «I am
thrilled to see that the Baker-Polito Administration is further promoting seafood
products here in Massachusetts while providing schools with fresh, local food.»

«The Farm to School Project was discussed at our Massachusetts Seafood Marketing
Steering Committee meeting earlier this month. I am delighted to see this official
partnership facilitated by the Baker-Polito Administration,» said State
Representative Susan Gifford (R-Wareham). «Massachusetts seafood is some of the
best in the world and locally sourced seafood will be a healthy and delicious
addition to menus across the Commonwealth in our schools.»

Massachusetts Farm to School is a statewide organization that strengthens the
connections that communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers
by influencing food purchasing and education practices at schools. In October 2016,
Governor Baker
declared
October as Massachusetts Farm to School Month to support Massachusetts’ farm to
school programs and the Massachusetts agricultural industry.

«We are very excited to add seafood to our successful Harvest of the Month campaign
as the featured item for the month of May,» said Simca Horwitz, the Eastern
Massachusetts Director of the Massachusetts Farm to School Project. «Over 150 K-12
schools, colleges, and hospitals in Massachusetts are participating in the campaign,
which we expect to translate into at least 800,000 servings of locally caught
seafood just during the month of May. We hope this can be the starting point for
sustained purchases of local seafood by institutions across the Commonwealth.»

Click
here
for more information about the Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Program. Find more
information about Massachusetts Farm to School and the Harvest of the Month campaign
here.