Resor votes to preserve dairy farms in Massachusetts
State Senator Pam Resor, D-Acton, voted on Thursday to preserve Massachusetts dairy farms through recommendations made by the Dairy Farm Revitalization Task Force. The bill establishes the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board to boost the profile and operations of local dairy farms.
“Dairy farmers are a vital part of agriculture in Massachusetts,” said Sen. Resor, chairwoman of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. “This legislation would help farmers remain competitive in an industry which has experienced drastically escalating production costs. Aid for dairy farmers helps retain jobs, preserves open space, and promotes energy saving technology.”
Today, Massachusetts is more often associated with higher education, technology, and winning sports teams. While dairy farming was a cornerstone industry in the development of the commonwealth, it is now facing extinction due to acute challenges including high land value, skyrocketing production costs, and federally regulated pricing which does not account for these increasing costs. Since 1950, the number of dairy farms in the state has plummeted from more than 5,000 to 800 in 1980. Today, there are fewer than 200 functioning dairy farms.
Last week, the state Senate passed a bill that would help preserve existing dairy farms by expanding upon current dairy farming technologies, funding advertising, and promoting the use of advanced farming practices. This legislation was developed through recommendations made by the Dairy Farm Revitalization Task Force, which was established in 2007.
This bill will now go the House of Representatives.
Resor approves landmark life sciences bill
Sen. Resor voted last week to invest $1 billion in the state’s burgeoning life sciences industry. Historic in size and scope, the highly-anticipated legislation creates a new environment for the future economy with incentives for job growth, research, and development that will secure the commonwealth’s position as a leader in biotechnology.
“I applaud Gov. Patrick for making smart economic development growth a priority,” said Resor. “Life sciences and technology are burgeoning industries which have strong roots here and therefore the necessary resources to grow here. This initiative bodes well for Massachusetts residents since this long-term investment will translate into significant job growth.”
Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, said the bill will keep Massachusetts competitive with the rest of the world and help researchers develop new medications and cures to serious illnesses.
“We have all the components here in Massachusetts to support a strong life sciences industry,” Murray said. “With our world-class medical centers and universities and an educated workforce, the addition of this life sciences package makes Massachusetts the ideal choice for biotech companies to grow and conduct ground-breaking research.”
The economic development package takes a targeted approach to growing high-paying, quality jobs, drawing biotech companies to Massachusetts, and retaining talented scientists and researchers at state institutions. It also includes funding for development of the world’s largest stem-cell bank at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, expected to be a significant tool in researching and developing new treatments.
The 10-year initiative includes $250 million in tax credits for life sciences companies that promise to create jobs in the commonwealth, and $250 million for direct research grants to encourage the best and brightest in the industry to conduct research in Massachusetts. It also includes $500 million in capital investments for construction and improvement projects in the industry.
Some of the other provisions of the bill include:
- Twenty-five million dollars to be appropriated annually over 10 years to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) to provide direct grants and programs for the industry.
- Capital expenditures that include $299.5 million in allocations for infrastructure improvements statewide.
- $25 million in tax incentives for certified life sciences companies, including a tax credit toward the purchase of property for life sciences companies.
- An option for life sciences companies to apply for eligibility as a “certified life sciences project” to receive one or more of nine refundable tax credits.
