WORCESTER, Mass. - A cut in state funding could soon impact Massachusetts farmers and their customers.

Starting Dec. 1, benefits for the state's Healthy Incentives Program, or HIP, will change.

The maximum benefit a household can use will be $20 a month, due to a $10 million deficit in the state's fiscal year 2025 budget.

The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative said there are about 285 farmers who participate in HIP and this will impact their customers and business.

"I’ve heard from farmers that they're also concerned about potentially revenue loss, customer loss, potentially needing to do layoffs for folks they've hired specifically to reach SNAP recipients who utilize their HIP benefit at farmer's markets” said Rebecca Miller, the policy director at the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative. “And on the customer side, we've heard a lot from folks who utilize the program about the increase in food insecurity that they will be facing when this cut goes into effect."

"People will say is that their connection to the farmer's market is really important because it's the healthy food, it's local food, it's fresher, but also that HIP budget again, is saying, you know, making their choice between buying protein at the market or spending money on vegetables” said Ashley Carter, the farmers' market program coordinator for the Regional Environmental Council.

Right now, families receive $40 a month for one or two people and up to $80 a month for a family of six or larger.

Both the Worcester Regional Environmental Council and the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative are encouraging people to reach out to local lawmakers to let them know how this cut will impact them.