Change to HIP Benefits - Take Action Now!

HIP Benefit Change

HIP benefits are being reduced December 1st. See below for action you can take today to save HIP!

The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) is a state-run program that helps low-income households buy produce at Massachusetts farmers markets and farm stands, providing crucial revenue for local farmers. The program is a national model. Thousands of households each year use the program year-round to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, at no cost to them. Hundreds of Massachusetts farms rely on HIP. Farmers and food security organizations have built their business models around this program since 2017, growing more food and different types of culturally relevant food because of this program.

Although the governor requested $25 million for HIP in the FY25 budget, only $15 million was approved, which is insufficient to fully fund the program. Due to the inadequate funding, DTA and MDAR will reduce the HIP monthly benefit from $40–$80 (based on household size) to a flat $20 per month, beginning December 1, 2024. This reduction will significantly impact HIP users, farmers, and farmers markets.

Information on the change can be found at DTA’s Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) Benefit Change page, including a flyer explaining the new benefit level in 15 languages.

Act Now to Save HIP!

The Campaign for HIP Funding is organizing food system participants to advocate for additional funding to restore HIP benefits to their previous level. We are asking the Governor and legislature to dedicate an additional $10 million to HIP in a future fiscal year 2025 supplemental budget to ensure that HIP can operate at its previous amount. What can you do? Contact legislators and ask them to fully fund HIP! Let them know how this change will affect shoppers and farmers, as well as the vitality of farmers markets. These templates have suggestions for language you can use.

  • Call legislative leadership to ask that they support $10 million for HIP in a future supplemental budget, and share how this change will affect farmers, shoppers, and farmers markets:

  • Call and email your state legislators to ask them to support $10 million in a supplemental fiscal year 2025 budget for HIP to avoid this programmatic change, and share how this change will affect their district. Find contact information for your state legislator here.

This Call to Action from the Campaign for HIP Funding provides more information and steps you can take to advocate for additional HIP Funding. The Food Project has translated HIP advocacy flyers, originally made by the Regional Environmental Council, into 6 languages (Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese). You can find them here. Please feel welcome to use these at winter markets and share with HIP shoppers, so they can share their stories with lawmakers.

Stay up to date on the latest by joining the Campaign for HIP Funding: Join the Campaign for HIP Funding.

Richard Grudzinski