We always love to see state politics shining light on the hard work of the agriculture industry and a new bill, Bill S.2258, passed by the MA State Senate last week will mean some positive changes for farmers markets throughout the state.

One of the biggest changes is an amendment that will ban the use of disposable plastic bags at all farmers markets in MA. Instead, vendors will have to offer paper bags or cardboard boxes to transport goods, or sell cloth bags. (Smaller produce bags will still be allowed.) This amendment comes on the heels of similar plastic bag bans in several MA cities, such as Brookline and Cambridge.

We’re so proud that AFM was years ahead of the curve by instituting it’s Got Baggage? initiative in 2015. Last season AFM encouraged visitors to bring reusable shopping bags or borrow reusable bags from the Market Manager’s tent, thereby contributing to the solution to plastic pollution.

If passed by the House of Representatives, Bill S.2258 will also allow the sale of locally brewed beer at farmers markets, adding some welcome variety to the other seasonal offerings. Stay tuned as the House votes on this bill in the coming weeks!

This season we take on recycling and compost with our Slash the Trash campaign. Who knows? Maybe the MA Legislature will see a bill inspired by this initiative in years to come.