MA H132

Creates a new Agriculture Jobs Division within the Department of Agricultural Resources to administer two grant programs: a Garden Agriculture Program for individual residents and a Community Agriculture Gardens Program for neighborhood cooperatives

Garden Agriculture Grants provide low-income residents with raised garden beds (up to 2), seeds (minimum 200), gardening tools, soil, mulch, organic fertilizer, pest control cages, and setup assistance, with applicants prioritized by lower household income

Community Agriculture Grants provide one-time funding of $500,000 to $1,000,000 to nonprofit cooperatives based on geographic membership area size (400-1,000+ residents), which must be located in census tracts with median household income below 90% of statewide median

Prohibits grant recipients from using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides; requires cooperatives to elect 6-12 member boards of directors by secret ballot within 90 days of incorporation and hold elections at least every 2 years

Mandates hiring of Technical Assistance Experts as full-time employees earning at least 140% of statewide per capita income with health/dental insurance and paid leave, who must have experience in non-chemical agricultural practices and speak English plus any language spoken by at least 10% of the Massachusetts population