Summary:

Since Colonial times, Massachusetts has held fast to its cherished legacy as an agricultural state. This traditional image has paled in the minds of many, however, with ever-increasing commercial and residential development. In recent years, farmers feeling the pressures of this development, higher production costs, and a shrinking portion of the consumer dollar, have instituted changes of their own. They are discovering ways to make their farms more viable by getting the most from each acre, and they have found ways to benefit, rather than suffer, from their closer proximity to consumers. Because of farmers’ ability to respond to challenges, Massachusetts agriculture today shows promise as a dynamic and vital industry.

 

Agriculture’s Hold on the Commonwealth (PDF)