Grant Program Regional Food Systems

To carry out an eighteen-month participatory planning process for the future of Maines food system, and to connect that process with those underway in the other five New England states and for the region as a whole.

To build the momentum for expanding Maine-grown food, assist food growers and processers to become profitable, look for ways to access larger markets (institutions and urban markets) and identify policy barriers that hinder farmers in accessing institutional customers.

To scale up production and marketing of regionally produced food by educating farmers and fishermen about cooperative business models, providing them with technical assistance, and eliminating legal barriers that new farm and fishing cooperatives face.

To promote job creation, greater economic output, and increased access for Vermont and regional consumers to healthy, fresh food over the next ten years.

To channel the growing demand for regionally and sustainably produced food among large institutional food purchasers and build a more just and sustainable food system to provide access to healthy, fresh, and sustainably grown food, especially in underserved communities.

To strengthen the role of composting as a leverage point for food systems development in the Northeast, and to develop communication systems that can better connect composting to other components of the food system.

To create a knowledge-sharing network that is useful to a wide range of food system stakeholders.

To mobilize New England’s health care institutions to purchase sustainable, regionally grown food products.

To advance federal agriculture policies and programs that benefit New England farming and to ensure effective implementation for these priority programs.

To improve the supply chain from producer to institutional buyer in order to meet the growing demand for local food; and to increase farmer/producer financial viability.