Red Shirt Farm Receive Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program Grant

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LANESBOROUGH — Red Shirt Farm will receive a $28,000 grant from the he Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP), administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to improve refrigeration.
 
The Baker-Polito Administration announced $1,000,000 in grants to 23 Massachusetts farms to implement practices that improve food safety within their operations. 
 
The Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP), administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), is a competitive grant program that allows produce and aquaculture operations to address food safety on their farms, enabling the operations to meet buyer demands, increase consumption of local food, and protect public health by reducing food safety risks.
 
"The Commonwealth's agricultural industry continues to grow and upgrade its practices to both meet marketplace demands and regulatory requirements," said Governor Charlie Baker. "These grants underscore our Administration's commitment to helping farmers implement important upgrades within their operations to ensure that food safety risks are managed, that their marketplace needs are addressed, and their businesses continue to grow."
 
Grant funds for produce operations provided through AFSIP focus on assisting these efforts meet regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), as well as to protect public health, sustain public confidence in the food system, and meet buyer requirements. Examples of awards to produce operations include cold storage, wildlife fencing, washing/packing facility upgrades, and produce washing lines.
 
This round of grant funding has a focus on assisting commercial oyster farmers to comply with the Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Department of Public Health's (DPH) Vibrio Control Program.
 
"The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to supporting the state's local farms utilizing a variety of strategies and funding programs, such as the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program, to enable great access to fresh, local food that is grown and harvested according to appropriate food safety practices," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Bethany Card. "These grants will further assist farmers in helping modernize their operations and strengthen the local food supply safely and sustainably."

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Multiple Departments Respond to Lanesborough Structure Fire

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Multiple fire departments responded to a structure fire off Narragansett Avenue on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Fire Department received a call from the owner of 6 Bangor St. reporting a smoke and flames at around 1:44 p.m.

Firefighters arriving on scene reported heavy smoke emanating from the the 1940s single-family ranch home in the thickly settle neighborhood.

The blaze was brought under control in less than an hour and there were no civilian or firefighter injuries. 

"The homeowner was outside doing some work, evidently, opened the door when she came back in the house, and there were flames and smoke, so she backed out and called us, and that's all we know right now," Deputy Fire Chief Glen Storie said around 2:35 p.m. 

The fire was out at that time, and first responders observed "quite a bit of damage" to the home. The cause is still under investigation. 

Lanesborough, Cheshire, and Pittsfield departments responded to the scene, and Hancock covered the station during the call. 

"The first crew in knocked the fire right down with the first engine," Storie said. 

Smoke could be seen coming from the back of the home. Part of Narragansett Avenue and Bangor Avenue were blocked off while firefighters battled the blaze. 

 

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