Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Launches Market Match Drive

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
03:05PM / Thursday, April 10, 2025Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire Agricultural Ventures has started its 2025 Market Match campaign to aid federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program users.

"It's a program that exists to support SNAP matching programs in our area farmers markets," communications and development manager Audrey Hackett said.

This financial assistance plays a role in bolstering food equity and ensuring that all community members have access to fresh, local, and nutrient-dense food.

Through the economic development and food access program, funding is provided to farmers markets to enhance the effectiveness of SNAP benefits throughout the Berkshire-Taconic region. The grants enable a $1-for-$1 SNAP match program, doubling the purchasing power of SNAP at participating farmers markets.

"When people who are SNAP users go to farmers markets they have a certain amount that they can spend on fresh local food. The national program called Market Match doubles that amount which is wonderful," Hackett said. "So if you go to the market with $30, now you, through your SNAP benefits, have $60 to spend and you can probably access more expensive products like dairy, meat, and cheese."

BAV launched the Market Match fund in 2022 to support and grow SNAP benefits and raise money year round. The donation drive started in April and this year's goal is $30,000.

This year is more important than ever because of federal cuts made to local programs and farmers.

"There have been significant federal cuts that have impacted local food programs that are important to our food-insecure friends and neighbors and to local farmers," Hackett said.

Last fall, the state run Healthy Incentives Program that helps SNAP users purchase produce from local farms wasn't fully funded and SNAP programs are threatened currently by the federal government. This also hurt farmers, who are experiencing a funding freeze from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"The Market Match Fund makes sure that our local farmers markets remain food access points for people in our community who need access to fresh local food," Hacket said. "Through the Market Match Fund we're providing support for some volume of sales that will help farmers do what their purpose in life is to do which is to grow food."

BAV has helped more than 180 farmers and food producers throughout the county. The Market Match Fund has supported more than $602,000 in SNAP sales and $337,000 in SNAP-matched purchases for low-income shoppers.

Those who wish to donate can do so here.

Tags: Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, farmers market, food insecurity, SNAP,

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First Eagle Mill Units in Lee to Open in Springtime

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:02AM / Tuesday, February 03, 2026

Eagle Mills developer Jeffrey Cohen updates the Lee Chamber of Commerce as the project's phases, and the amount of heavy lifting to get it to this point.

LEE, Mass. — More than 50 affordable units are expected to come online at the Eagle Mill this spring.

This is the first of several planned development phases at the former paper mill that dates back to the early 1800s, totaling more than 200 units. The Lee Chamber of Commerce hosted an information session on the project during its Business Breakfast last Wednesday.

"We are here because we have a really big project that's happened for a very long time here in Lee, that, for myself, has provided a real sense of hope, and has has really defined this community as one of the few in the Berkshires that's really looking forward, as opposed to just being sort of stuck in the past," Chamber member Erik Williams said.

The estimated $60 million development broke ground in 2021 after nearly a decade of planning and permitting. Hundreds of workers once filed into the 8-acre complex, producing up to 165 tons of paper a week. The last mill on the property closed in 2008.

Hearthway is accepting applications for 56 affordable apartments called "The Lofts at Eagle Mill" with expected occupancy in May. The housing nonprofit was also approved for 45 additional units of new construction on the site.

Jeffrey Cohen of Eagle Mill Redevelopment LLC said the project dates back to 2012, when a purchase contract was signed for the West Center Street property. The developers didn't have to close on the property until renovation plans were approved in 2017, and the mill was sold for $700,000.

It seemed like a great deal for the structure and eight acres on the Housatonic River, Cohen explained, but he wasn't aware of the complex pre-development costs, state, and local approvals it would entail. Seven individually owned homes adjacent to the property were also acquired and demolished for parking and site access.

"If I knew today what I knew then, I'm not sure we'd be sitting here," he said, joining the breakfast remotely over Zoom.

Cohen praised the town's government, explaining that the redesigns and critiques "Could not have been done in a friendlier way, in a more helpful way," and the two Massachusetts governors serving during the project's tenure. The Eagle Mill redevelopment is supported by state and federal grants, as well as low-income housing tax credits.

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