The Belfast-based Maine Federation of Farmers Markets is among three recipients in the state receiving grants from the  U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service to increase consumption of and access to local and regional agricultural products.

The USDA awarded the federation $160,111 to build its Workplace to Market project that aims to cause consumer behavior change through targeted incentives to working-age adults at their workplace.

Project partners will trial and monitor the impact of shopping incentive models that drive new customers to farmers’ markets, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree.

The findings will be shared through online and print resources, serving as a new marketing strategy for farmers’ markets across the country to use.

The project goals are to 1) increase the number of new shoppers patronizing farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer outlets across Maine through workplace incentives with local employer-partners;

2) create a toolkit resource in print and online for farmers markets to utilize in cultivating new business partners; and

3) conduct a promotional campaign to educate consumers and cultivate new partnerships among employers and farmers markets.

Outcomes include an increase in farm sales and an increase in the number of new and returning customers at farmers’ markets over the long haul. A toolkit, based on the piloted models and the findings of various partnerships across Maine, will be developed and distributed as a resource for farmers to develop their own partnerships with employers in their communities.

“We're pleased to be receiving a USDA FMPP grant to help promote farmers' markets across our state. This grant project is rooted in community and place, by facilitating partnerships between farmers' markets and local employers that will help introduce more Mainers to the amazing benefits of shopping at farmers' markets. We've seen positive results from a recent pilot with the City of Bangor, and we're excited to bring this marketing model to more Maine communities from Portland to Presque Isle,” said Jimmy DeBiasi, Director of Programs at Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets, in the release.
 

“The local and regional food industry has experienced massive growth in recent years—both in Maine and across our country—and shows no sign of slowing down. As farmers cope with the uncertainty of trade wars, they know they can rely on their local communities to support their business,” said Pingree, in the release. “I fought hard for this incredibly important funding to be included in the 2018 Farm Bill, and I’m thrilled to see the results come to local Maine farmers. With these USDA resources, Mainers will be able to access to locally grown, healthy foods and support their neighborhood farms.”

The funding is made possible through USDA’s Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, a part of the Local Agriculture Marketing Program authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill.

"This funding from the USDA will give us the opportunity to implement a suite of region-wide quality handling improvements that will ultimately increase the value of seafood harvested in New England. These improvements are critical for our region’s seafood industry to grow and to compete with high quality imported seafood, which is currently the largest barrier to market access for much of the finfish harvested in New England’s waters,” said Kyle Foley, Sustainable Seafood Program Manager at Gulf of Maine Research Institute, another recipient of funds.

The grants and matching funds are as follows:

MEProject Type: Implementation
Total Project Amount: $612,791.00
Award Amount: $487,791.00
Match Amount: $125,000.00
Project Title: A Regional Effort to Improve Quality and Market Opportunities for New England Finfish
The goal of this project is to implement a suite of region-wide quality and food safety improvements that will improve the market demand and value for seafood harvested by New England fishermen. This project will increase local access to and consumption of local seafood, as well as give local fishermen an opportunity to capture more value for their catch. This project will facilitate coordination and collaboration across the seafood value chain to improve food safety, quality handling, and waste reduction. We will partner with a key aggregator in the region to improve handling and develop best practices at the processor level of the supply chain. Improvements to the availability and access to ice for fishing vessels in four New England ports, a critical and basic issue that impacts quality and safety will be made. A series of workshops to increase awareness and understanding of a range of quality, food safety, and waste reduction issues in order to collaborate on region- wide standards will bring together fishermen, processors, and buyers. These improvements are critical for our region’s seafood industry to grow and to compete with high quality imported seafood, which is currently the largest barrier to market access for much of the finfish harvested in New England’s waters.

Project Type: Planning
Total Project Amount: $129,335.60
Award Amount: $99,997.82
Match Amount: $29,337.78
Project Title: Fork Food Lab 2.0
Home to 45 enterprises, Fork Food Lab, Maine’s premier commercial kitchen incubator, is nearing full capacity. As a result, the Sustainability Lab will develop the Fork Food Lab 2.0 Plan, a roadmap for a physical expansion that will 1) enable exploration of new food sectors, such as meat, fish, dairy, fermented products, and craft beer, wine and spirits; 2) help manufacturers access specialized equipment necessary to scale production; and 3) provide scaling businesses with dedicated space for manufacturing. By expanding the capacity of Fork Food Lab, 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 $15 million in economic impact by 2025.
Recipient: The Sustainability Lab Yarmouth, ME

Project Type: Capacity Building
Total Project Amount: $205,892.44
Award Amount: $160,111.00 
Match Amount: $45,781.44
Project Title: The Workplace To Market Project
Workplace to Market is a collaborative, multi-faceted project that aims to cause consumer behavior change through targeted incentives to working-age adults at their workplace. Project partners will trial and monitor the impact of shopping incentive models that drive new customers to farmers’ markets. The findings will be shared through online and print resources, serving as a new marketing strategy for farmers’ markets across the country to use. The project goals are to 1) increase the number of new shoppers patronizing farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer outlets across Maine through workplace incentives with local employer-partners; 2) create a toolkit resource in print and online for farmers markets to utilize in cultivating new business partners; and 3) conduct a promotional campaign to educate consumers and cultivate new partnerships among employers and farmers markets. Outcomes include an increase in farm sales and an increase in the number of new and returning customers at farmers’ markets over the long haul. A toolkit, based on the piloted models and the findings of various partnerships across Maine, will be developed and distributed as a resource for farmers to develop their own partnerships with employers in their communities.