By John Lebeaux John Lebeaux The events of the past year have highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of our food system, and the importance of investing in urban food production and land access. The pandemic has significantly increased food insecurity in Massachusetts, while agricultural and food businesses have suffered due to supply chain disruptions and loss of key markets. This year’s spotlight on racial injustice has also illuminated the disparities in land access and food production in urban and minority communities. Access to land is essential for those who seek to increase productive green spaces, specifically for fresh food production. At the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), we recognize the importance of land sovereignty within urban neighborhoods as it contributes to environmental justice and ensuring equity for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers. Nationally, the USDA’s 2017 Agricultural Census indicates that 95 percent of commercial farmers are white and own 98 percent of farmland.