Maine Food Projects Awarded $3.5M in Federal Grants to Strengthen Local and Regional Food Systems, Pingree Announces

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced federal funding for five Maine-based projects aimed at strengthening and exploring new market opportunities in Maine and New England's agricultural food systems. The $3.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture investment coming to Maine is through the Local Food Promotion Programs (LFPP) and the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP), which are part of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP).

"Small and mid-sized farms are not only a key part of Maine's agricultural heritage, but are also a major driver of our economy and help ensure we have a diverse, resilient food supply chain," said Congresswoman Pingree, a longtime organic farmer who serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and the House Agriculture Committee. "As farmers cope with continued uncertainty brought on by the pandemic and consumers increasingly seek out locally-produced foods, federal support is more important than ever. I'm proud to have advocated for the program that made this investment possible now and for years to come so our agriculture markets can grow and thrive."

The grants coming to Maine include:

Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland--$882,165 to implement and expand their project that aims to achieve a resilient regional seafood system in partnership with Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance, Coastal Enterprises, Inc, True Fin, Portland Fish Exchange, and BankProv.

Harvesting Good in Yarmouth--$792,966 to create a mid-tier New England based value chain to support farmers, processors, and food to insecure populations in partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, agricultural processors and farmers, Hannaford, and Sodexo.

Fork Food Lab in Portland--$749,785 to implement the startup of Fork Food Lab 2.0, which will facilitate the development of value-added products from $1 million in Maine fish, meat, dairy, eggs, grains, and produce, resulting in the creation of 246 jobs and $17 million in economic impact by 2025.

Maine Organic Milk Company, LLC in Whitefield--$646,663 for their Maine Organic Milk for Maine People project, which will fill a void in the marketplace for Maine-branded organic dairy products and ensure a market-driven need for Maine's organic dairy farms.

Community Shellfish Company, LLC in Bremen--$419,848 to implement a promotional marketing effort to bring consumers closer to their seafood source and expand awareness and demand for wild-catch and farm-raised Maine seafood.

Congresswoman Pingree created the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) in the 2018 Farm Bill, based on her Local FARMS Act.

Source