Local News
Faced with a financial headwinds, many Massachusetts farmers are finding ways to attract members of the public to their land.
Corn mazes are a classic example of agritourism, which farmers rely on to diversify their businesses. Kimball Farm Corn Maze
Late last month, a group of Massachusetts state senators proposed a collection of amendments to an economic development bill that they dubbed the “fun agenda.” It contained items that sought to create “economic vibrancy” and shake the state out of its “Puritan roots,” Sen. Jo Comerford said.
Comerford, who represents a broad swath of western and north central Massachusetts, filed an amendment as part of the “fun agenda” that would bring $5 million “to enhance agritourism‑related cultural and promotional activities.”
Agritourism is a way for farmers to diversify their businesses by inviting members of the public to participate in educational and entertaining activities on their properties. Corn mazes, wine tastings, jam-making classes, and petting zoos are all examples of agritourism.
As the “fun agenda” made headlines, two of the state’s most prominent media figures had some fun of their own discussing Comerford’s amendment. During the July 22 episode of GBH’s popular “Boston Public Radio” program, hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan shared a laugh about the state’s apparent need for more corn mazes and the idea of a competition between Massachusetts and Iowa for those who love the classic farmland activity.
“I didn’t know there was a need for more corn mazes in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Eagan said.
The short segment rubbed Comerford the wrong way.
“It belittled something that’s actually quite serious,” she said. “It felt like it missed the mark so significantly.”
So the senator issued a public response to Braude and Eagan, emphasizing the importance of agritourism and inviting the two out to western Massachusetts to see the power of the economic tool firsthand.
Farmers in Massachusetts are facing a “dire” situation, she said. A recent state report found that two in three Massachusetts farmers operate at a loss. The average Massachusetts farmer makes about 95 cents for every dollar they can spend. The state lost about 5.5 percent of available farmland, or some 27,000 acres, between 2017 and 2022, according to the report. This is twice the national rate.
“Anybody who cares about farming should be quite alarmed. Once farmland goes, it’s nearly impossible to get it back,” Comerford said.
The Trump administration, Comerford added, has been a “foe to farmers” by driving up fertilizer and energy costs while cutting direct funding to farmers and the budget of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To Comerford, the segment on “Boston Public Radio” was indicative of a longstanding “east/west divide” in Massachusetts.
“There is an echo chamber inside of the Route 128 bubble. … it’s hard for us in western Massachusetts to pierce through sometimes,” she said.
Ultimately, Comerford’s agritourism amendment passed alongside other “fun agenda” items like one that seeks to re-establish “happy hour” alcohol discounts and another that explores a possible international soccer tournament that could bring Scotland’s famed “tartan army” back to the Bay State. The bill is currently in conference committee, with lawmakers from both legislative chambers working towards a final bill that can be sent to the governor’s desk.
Comerford’s invitation to Braude and Eagan was “heartfelt,” she said. Since then, a producer at GBH has reached out to her office about scheduling a time for the two hosts to visit western Massachusetts, Comerford added.
“I just wanted more from such an important outlet and important spokespeople who have significant platforms,” she said. “I wanted them to see farming, a rural way of life, as equally worthy of their serious discussion.”
Ross Cristantiello
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
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