Help Shape the Future of Food Access

 We are partnering with The Marion Institute and Sustainable Nantucket to spearhead a comprehensive assessment in 2026 to strengthen and unify the food system across Southeastern Massachusetts.

The Marion Institute, through the Southcoast Food Policy Council, is expanding its 2026 Food System Assessment to include six interconnected counties in Southeastern Massachusetts, forming a regional “foodshed.”

The assessment will use both a technical, data-driven approach and a community-driven approach, employing the CARAT tool to gather input from diverse stakeholders and evaluate food system resiliency across 101 indicators in seven thematic areas.

These themes include natural resource management, community health, self-resilience, inclusive leadership, local food infrastructure, food sovereignty, and place-based economics. By combining these approaches, the project aims to identify infrastructure needs, foster collaboration, and establish a shared language and baseline for food system resiliency.

The ultimate goal is to clarify gaps and opportunities in the regional food system, enabling all participating counties to develop a collaborative action plan to strengthen food security and resilience.

PARTICIPATING COUNTIES

  • Barnstable
  • Bristol
  • Dukes
  • Nantucket
  • Norfolk
  • Plymouth

What is CARAT?

CARAT is a collaborative platform created by the North American Food Systems Network and Indiana University to help communities assess their local food systems. Using 101 indicators across 7 themes, CARAT measures how food system assets contribute to community resilience.

The tool emphasizes collaboration, inclusivity, and the involvement of marginalized voices, complementing technical assessments by focusing on policy, emergency planning, accessibility, and identifying soft infrastructure. CARAT enables communities to track improvements and guide next steps for greater resilience and food sovereignty.

SEVEN CARAT THEMES

Natural Resource Management

THEME 1, Natural Resource Management: Use, Conservation, and Preservation of Ecosystems and Farmland

FOCUS:

  • Protect farmland
  • Facilitate land access
  • Establish climate action plans
  • Promote soil, land, and water conservation

Community Health & Well-Being

THEME 2, Community Health & Well-Being

FOCUS:

  • Plans for access to food, especially for vulnerable, in event of emergency
  • Provide better access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods

Community Self-Resilience in Food

THEME 3, Community Self-Resilience in Food

FOCUS:

  • Enhance the community’s control of its food system to lessen the need for external/unpredictable supply chains

Distributed & Democratic Leadership

THEME 4, Distributed and Democratic  Leadership

  • Engage all stakeholders in decisions, particularly those who have been historically marginalized

Focus on Local Farmers, Food Processors, & Distributors

THEME 5, Focus on Local Farmers, Food  Processors, and Food Distributors

  • Expand opportunities for local farmers,  ranchers, and other food producers
  • Adequate infrastructure for processing,  distributing and marketing local food

Food Sovereignty

THEME 6, Food Sovereignty

  • Ensure the food system is equitable, accessible, and inclusive

Place-Based Economics

THEME 7, Place-Based Economics

  • Implement policies and programs to  enhance local resource ownership
  • Educate a skilled and capable labor force