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In South Portland, Maine, where I live, there is no shortage of incredible restaurants, farms and farm stores, lobstermen and fisherfolk, value-added producers and store owners who offer local and regional foods. There are incredible 'community collaborations' between stores and makers like Lemonté, a farmhouse ale offered by the largest independent store chain in Maine, Rosemont Market and Bakery, and nationally-acclaimed Oxbow Brewing Company (in their words, #buylocal, #drinklocal). Sopo Seafood, an online seafood store, wholesaler & raw bar, lists every type of shellfish and fresh fish in the cold case with the location it was caught; they only source Maine oysters and whenever possible, fresh fish from the Gulf of Maine. Bigger grocery retail chains here like Hannaford call out produce (particularly, in the height of the summer growing season) with signs like the one you see here featuring a map of New England and which state the item was sourced.
We know that in order to reach the 30% regional food consumption goal by 2030 goal, we must produce, grow, harvest, catch and source more local and regional food. These are some of the small-medium sized businesses in Maine that are doing it right and making the choice between local / regional an easy one - help our local economy, help the planet, help the community, and eat really well doing it.
Leah
Director, New England Food System Planners Partnership
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2022 Local Food Counts Report
What percent of our food supply is being grown, sold and consumed in the region?
One of New England Feeding New England project goals this year was to conduct Local Food Counts to develop a 2022 baseline estimate for the amount of food being produced and consumed within the region.
We are excited to share that we are preparing to release 5 State reports (for RI, ME, MA, NH and CT) and a New England Regional Report on the 2022 Local Food Count.
Stay tuned for our official announcement on the reporting and corresponding data dashboard on September 10, 2024.
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*Vermont's Local Food Count data was collected in 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020. VT Farm to Plate developed the peer reviewed methodology and the process roadmap we followed. | |
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Along with Holly Fowler, Team Lead for Volume 4: Market Demand, Leah will present NEFNE report findings and explore dairy's role in regional resilience on September 4th as part of a Stonyfield Organic farmers Munch n' Learn. As the country’s leading organic yogurt maker, Stonyfield believes that taking care of organic farmers, cows, and their life’s work will produce healthy food, healthy businesses, and a healthy planet. The company is a Certified B-Corp and is also making a difference by helping to protect and preserve the next generation of farmers and families through programs like its Direct Milk Supply and Wolfe’s Neck Organic Training Program in Freeport, ME, as well as #PlayFree, a nationwide, multi-year initiative to help keep families free from toxic persistent pesticides in outdoor spaces across the country.
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We are looking forward to participating on a panel called Maine Food Systems: Progress on Statewide Goals and Initiatives hosted by the Maine Food Funders Network on September 26, from 1-2:30pm. The funders network consists of foundations, CDFIs and loan funds, credit unions and banks, organizations that regrant funding, philanthropy supporting organizations, Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the USDA. It is part of the Maine Philanthropy Center.
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Our Partnership is actively aligning and working together across our states to most effectively distribute middle-of-the-supply-chain funding | |
USDA-AMS is working across states to design and build resilience in the middle-of-the-supply-chain and strengthen regional and local food systems through the creation of new revenue streams in the areas of aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of local agricultural products. Each State Department of Agriculture is managing a different amount of funds, timelines and corresponding criteria but all will offer funds via two grant programs: Infrastructure and Equipment.
The following grant application is open:
Coming soon:
Connecticut's Round Two: Infrastructure Grant Program and Equipment Only Grant Program will run from February 2025-April 2025. Massachusetts and Rhode Island have closed their 2024 Application periods; awardees will be announced pending USDA reviews. New Hampshire has closed the Infrastructure grant phase but plans to have equipment only grant information available in late 2024.
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In addition to grant funding, there are RFSI funds in Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire to support Supply Chain Coordination to develop and enhance initiatives that focus on business support and market development. Many of them will provide business and technical assistance to organizations working to plan, develop, and execute projects that enhance the middle-of-the-supply-chain. In Maine, a new Local Food Switchboard Project led by our partner, Maine Food Convergence Project, will lead a collaborative effort to connect local farmers and food producers with schools and other institutions, enhancing access to fresh, locally-sourced food while supporting the state's agricultural economy.
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Northeast Regional Food Business Center (NE-RFBC)
The NE-RFBC will provide funding to organizations who provide direct business technical assistance and training to small- and mid-sized food and agricultural businesses. Awards of up to $100,000 will be awarded to providers in the Northeast region who offer: Business technical assistance, Value and supply chain coordination, Market development, Financial guidance services, Professional development and training, and Production expansion and new product development
The Center will also offer awards of up to $200,000 to organizations that focus on regional technical assistance provider network development. Awardees will create or expand regional and sub-regional networks of technical assistance providers. Networks may be organized by industry, market, geographic area or other commonalities.
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Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC)
Established as part of the 2018 Farm Bill, and hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, the NE-DBIC funds the development of direct technical assistance, contracts, and grants that benefit dairy businesses, including niche dairy products such as specialty cheese and other products derived from cow, goat, and sheep milk. They have three funding programs which support Dairy Farmers, Dairy Processors and Dairy Service Providers.
New Dairy Processor Start-up Grant is open through September 5th.
Dairy Product Trade Show Assistance Grant is open for Dairy Processors until November 28th.
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Understanding what it is happening across the nation in food systems work helps to inform and show us perspectives, opportunities and challenges. | |
Thank you to the growing list of regional and state-level organizations who have invited us to speak about our Partnership and the report! | |
The New England Food System Planners Partnership (NEFSPP) is a collaboration amongst seven state-level food system organizations, six-state agricultural, economic and environmental department representatives and Food Solutions New England (FSNE), a regional network that unites the food system community. Together, we are mobilizing our networks to impact local and regional food supply chains, in turn, strengthening and growing New England's food system. The Partnership works together to disseminate information on trends, challenges and opportunities in alignment with FSNE's New England Food Vision, and with hundreds of groups and organizations involved in food systems development across the region. | | | | |
