Grant Program Regional Food Systems

To increase farm-to-institution sales by connecting a regional food hub network with a mainstream broadline distributor.

To continue developing the Maine Food Strategy, which seeks to create a food system that provides quality jobs; promotes sustainable use of resources; and supplies healthy, affordable, and accessible food for all Maine people.

To ensure that Maine farmers and food producers are able to ramp up production, particularly in Aroostook County, as demand increases for healthy, sustainable, and organic food throughout New England.

To meet the growing demand for local food while increasing farmer/producer financial viability by making improvements in the supply chain.

To document the impact of the food service management company rebate system on institutional customers and other stakeholders and develop a new set of best practice standards for local food procurement that food service management companies can adopt.

To enable Food Solutions New England to incorporate communities of color and historically under-represented populations into a shared understanding of the New England food system.

To serve as the central coordinating organization for the Farm-to-Plate Network by overseeing program implementation, providing the governance infrastructure, fostering collaboration among participating organizations, and monitoring progress towards the Farm-to-Plate goals.

To provide general support.

To build a small, state of the art meat processing facility in Westport, Massachusetts.

To increase farmland access and ownership for beginning and established farmers in New England.