Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

The Department’s mission is to cultivate a robust and equitable agricultural economy, promote a safe and resilient food system, and preserve a healthy environment for Massachusetts farmers, animals, and consumers. **What We Do** We support, regulate and enhance the rich diversity of the Commonwealth’s agricultural community to promote economically and environmentally sound food safety and animal health measures, and fulfill agriculture’s role in energy conservation and production. - [Staff Directory](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/mdar-staff-directory) - [Programs and Services A-Z](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/mdar-a-to-z-search-index) - [Calendar](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/agriculture-industry-calendar) - [The Farm and Market Report](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-farm-and-market-report) - [Statistics](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/agricultural-resources-facts-and-statistics) - [Environmental Justice](https://www.mass.gov/mdars-environmental-justice-program) - [Public Records Request](https://www.mass.gov/public-records-requests-for-the-department-of-agricultural-resources) - [Request a Translation of an MDAR Document](https://www.mass.gov/forms/request-a-translation-of-an-mdar-document) - [Civil Rights and Non-discrimination Policy and Grievance Procedure](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/executive-office-of-energy-environmental-affairs-civil-rights-and-non-discrimination-policy-and-grievance-procedure) **About** The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources history rests on the agricultural societies organized in the 1790's. The county chairmen of these societies came together in 1852 to make up the first Board of Agriculture. The Board has served continually for 140 years to promote crop and animal husbandry in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Board of Agriculture started in 1852, predated the organization of the United States Department of Agriculture in 1862. (1855 Annual Report by Charles L. Flint, Secretary of the Board of Agriculture.) The purpose of the Board and its staff was to represent fairly, every class of agricultural knowledge in the state. By 1902, the Board had fine-tuned its purpose to taking an active role in the development of the Massachusetts farmer. Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, J.W. Stockwell said in his report, "This Board is on the outlook constantly for such advances in the methods of improved agriculture as shall bring comfort and beauty to the home and content and prosperity to the farmer. It has been alert and quick to protect the farmer in his productions, to investigate and urge the newer lines of safe advancement in method and product, and to stimulate to experiment and achievement in developing and demonstrating and advanced agriculture for the benefit of the state." The Secretary served the Board of Agriculture from 1852 to 1919, the year the Department of Agriculture was formed.