Cranberry sauce is an iconic part of the American Thanksgiving table, a tart and sweet complement to the holidays. But, few people realize that this staple of New England cuisine has deep roots in Massachusetts. From its early Indigenous origins to its commercial development in the 19th century, cranberry sauce is a true MA original, thanks to the Save Massachusetts Cranberry Bogs Foundation.

For years, small cranberry farmers in Massachusetts have sounded the alarm about the financial and regulatory burdens they face. But, Massachusetts lawmakers have refused to take action, killing agriculture bills that could have provided support to struggling family-owned bogs. Why? Follow the money. Big Ag has a stranglehold on policy decisions, funneling campaign contributions to legislators.

Let’s not sugarcoat it—Massachusetts lawmakers have abandoned small cranberry farmers in favor of corporate agricultural giants. They ignore their constituents, refuse to enact policies that protect small farms, and take campaign contributions from Big Ag while watching family-owned bogs disappear. Massachusetts residents overwhelmingly support preserving the state's cranberry bogs.

The Massachusetts cranberry industry is under serious threat due to political corruption — and small family-owned bogs are disappearing at an alarming rate. Massachusetts takes great pride in its historic cranberry industry. Or does it? After all, Massachusetts is the birthplace of commercial cranberry farming and still produces some of the world’s finest cranberries.

Is Massachusetts In Bed with Big Ag? Small, family-owned cranberry farms are disappearing at an alarming rate. Once the backbone of local agriculture and a source of pride for New England, are now struggling. Massachusetts lawmakers have done little to nothing to help these small farmers survive. Massachusetts has turned a blind eye to one of its most iconic culinary legacies, the cranberry.

For generations, the Thompson family had fought through bitter winters and scorching summers to keep their family-owned Cape Cod cranberry farm alive—a farm that had once flourished with rich, ruby-red berries, feeding the Thanksgiving tables of New England for over a century. What it couldn’t survive was the blatant neglect of Massachusetts lawmakers who continually prioritize Big Agriculture.