The Network in Action at the 2025 Maine Agricultural Trades Show

The start of 2025 was a busy month for the Network, with strong energy and enthusiasm convening at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show that took place in Augusta in January. Sponsored by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF), this annual event brings together farmers, agricultural professionals, and related industries for three days of networking, learning, and sharing expertise. As the state’s largest agricultural trades show, this free public event stands as a cornerstone for business, innovation, connection, and knowledge-sharing within Maine’s agricultural community every year.

The Maine Farm & Sea to Institution Network was thrilled to make a significant impact at this year’s trades show, participating in and hosting multiple sessions focused on advancing Maine’s local food system.

Keep reading for a look at some of the highlights from this year’s event!

Institutional Buyers and Sellers Matchmaking Event

Institutional Buying & Selling Workgroup

The Institutional Buying & Selling Workgroup hosted a dynamic matchmaking event that brought together over 70 attendees, including institutional buyers, local producers, and food system stakeholders from across the state. The session welcomed 5 panelists from across Maine’s institutional supply chain, who shared their experiences engaging in Farm & Sea to Institution (FTI) initiatives, highlighted strategies for success and tips for overcoming common challenges. 

Panelists:

Following the panel, the session facilitated a institutional buyers “speed dating” session, where institutional buyers had the chance to connect with local producers. This networking opportunity fostered new relationships and sparked ideas for future collaborations. 

"My biggest takeaway was that I almost didn’t go because I thought, ‘this isn’t really about seafood,’ but it ended up being incredibly valuable," said Susan Olcott, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Maine Coast Fishermen's Association. "There are so many intersections in the local food world between agricultural products and those from the sea, and it was great to make new connections. The contact list that was shared was invaluable—I followed up with more than half of the people on it and have started many fruitful conversations as a result.”

The Local Food Switchboard Project 

Food Processing Work GrouP

This session marked the public debut of the Switchboard Project, an ambitious initiative designed to streamline local food procurement logistics, connect various interest-holders across Maine’s food system, and increase local food sourcing in schools. The project will create a platform that provides comprehensive information on food businesses, processing infrastructure, and supply chain resources, making it easier for stakeholders to collaborate and access critical resources.

MEFTI is proud to support this initiative as a Maine Food Convergence Project Network Partner, as co-convener of the Local Food Processing Workgroup, and as a collaborator with Alida Peterson, who is a research consultant on the project.

This session at the Agricultural Trade Show aimed to build connections across Maine’s food system, gather feedback to refine The Switchboard’s design, and understand sector-specific needs. It also sought to explore potential other uses for the platform and encourage collaborative brainstorming to identify solutions to gaps in the food system. The event provided a dynamic space for all levels of the supply chain to come together and share on these insights.

Aimee Styklunas, a FoodCorps Member for the South Portland School District, shared, “I feel like it was a really great opportunity to connect with people at all these different levels of the supply chain. The event felt like a live example of the service that would be provided by the Switchboard—collect all these voices and brainstorm together the different ways we can help each other.”

Zoe Grodsky, School Food Systems Manager for the Cumberland County Food Security Council, added, “It was super helpful to break into sector-specific groups and get a chance to connect with people who are thinking about similar things, but from a slightly different perspective… I really appreciated all the levels of need that this project [is] working to meet.” 

With a great turnout and a wealth of insights shared, the event highlighted the excitement surrounding this project. Attendees left with a better understanding of the project’s goals and how it can fill critical gaps in the food system, with many new connections made and contacts added to the growing Switchboard Community!

Food System Infrastructure Investment Policy Priorities

Maine Food Policy Workgroup

Members of the Maine Food Policy Workgroup came together at the trades show to discuss and shape policy priorities for the 132nd Legislature, aiming to build a more equitable and resilient food system in Maine.

During the session, Full Plates Full Potential presented their bill focused on increasing lunchtime in schools (An Act to Require a Lunch Period of at Least 30 Minutes for Students and Reduce Food Waste, a follow-up to LD 1002). We also heard from UMaine’s Mitchell Center about key food waste policies, including follow-ups to LD 1009 (An Act Regarding the Reduction and Recycling of Food Waste) and a new bill (no LD number yet) proposing to ban Maine food waste from landfills. Additionally, MOFGA shared updates on LD 130, An Act to Establish the PFAS Response Program and Modify the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination.

In reflection Susan Lee, Faculty Fellow at the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, said, “The Maine Food Policy Workgroup session at the Ag Trade Show was a perfect opportunity to foster collaborative food policy development that benefits all Maine food system stakeholders. For our team at the UMaine Mitchell Center, it provided a chance to promote sustainable solutions to Maine's current food system challenges. The session attracted a diverse group of stakeholders who shared their expertise on pressing policy issues and were eager to work together on meaningful solutions. The workgroup format encouraged productive brainstorming by bringing together diverse perspectives to build support for shared policy goals. Participants left not only with stronger, more impactful policy ideas, but also with valuable connections to key policy partners.”

The Policy Workgroup plays a key role in monitoring and influencing food policy, focusing on Maine legislation as well as municipal and federal initiatives. Its mission is to keep Maine’s food system stakeholders informed and engaged in policy development.

For more information or to get involved, please contact the Policy Workgroup co-coordinators:
Amy Winston: amy.winston@ceimaine.org
Ken Morse: kenmorse@mac.com

Shaping the Maine Food System Through Collaboration

This session focused on the importance of collaboration in shaping Maine's food system. The session began with a panel from three different organizations who shared their experiences and projects, demonstrating how working together can drive positive change.

Panelists: 

  • Chris Piercey, Auburn Director of Nutrition: Auburn, Lewiston, Lisbon School Food Hub 

  • Heather Kerner, Founder of the Good Crust: Grains on the Go 

  • Rob Dumas, Food Science Innovation Coordinator: UMaine Pilot Plant

The panel highlighted innovative approaches to improving school food systems and strengthening Maine’s local food economy, featuring projects from USDA & Full Plates Full Potential School Food System Innovation grantees.

Following the panel, representatives from Full Plates Full Potential, Maine Department of Education, Maine Farm & Sea to School Network, and Maine DACF offered insights into resources and technical assistance available. These included details on the Local Foods Fund (LFF), Federal Local Food for Schools & Child Care (LFSCC) Cooperative Agreement Program, and USDA’s Geographic Preference Expansion, which provides schools with additional incentives to purchase local food.

The session also detailed Maine’s Regional Local Foods Project,  a two-year pilot funded by a USDA Farm to School State Formula Grant. This project aims to expand and deepen the impact of Farm & Sea to School programming by providing local foods coordinators to each superintendent region in Maine. Additionally, participants learned about the Maine Farm & Sea to School Institute, a year-long professional development program designed for Maine schools, districts, and early childhood education (ECE) centers. The Institute brings teams together to build relationships, skills, and a collaborative action plan for Farm & Sea to School (FSTS) programming.

This event emphasized the power of collaboration among stakeholders in Maine’s food system and provided practical tools and strategies for integrating more local food into schools and communities across the state.

On behalf of The Network, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who attended and participated in these sessions, as well as to MEFTI’s partners and collaborators, whose dedication and tireless efforts are the driving force behind this critical work.

See you next year!

Renee Page