Maine Senior FarmShare Receives $801,665 From USDA

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Maine Senior FarmShare Receives $801,665 From USDA

February 2, 2005 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Commissioner of Agriculture Robert W. Spear announced today that the Maine Department of Agriculture has been awarded an $801,665 grant from the USDA for the 2005 Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).“This is the fifth year for the program. It has been great for thousands of Maine seniors and almost 200 farmers who overwhelmingly say this is one of the best government programs they have ever participated in,” Commissioner Robert Spear said. “We want to be able to continue to run the program in a way that best works for Maine, our farmers and seniors.”

Maine is one of 47 states to receive grants, totaling $15 million, to provide low-income seniors with locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Governor John E. Baldacci who helped create the federal program when he served in Congress on the House Agriculture Committee noted that the strength of Maine’s Senior FarmShare program resulted in the state being one of the leading grant recipients.

“I commend the Department of Agriculture and partner organizations, including the Bureau of Elder and Adult Services, the Maine Nutrition Network and Cooperative Extension for designing and managing a unique and very successful program that both provides nutritious food for Maine seniors and new markets for Maine farmers,” he said.

Maine has designed and run a unique program based on a community supported agriculture model, which well suits Maine’s demographics of seniors and farmers. Food is distributed directly from farms to seniors, with each participating senior receiving $100 of produce throughout the growing season. The program also distributes food to seniors via food pantries, meal sites and housing sites. Benefits of Maine Senior FarmShare are three-fold: providing low-income seniors fresh, healthy food, developing a stable market for Maine farms, and strengthening and building community ties.

The Farm Bill, passed by Congress three years ago, provides $15 million annually to operate the SFMNP for fiscal years 2002 through 2007. Maine has participated since its inception as a pilot program in 2000.

Additional information about the SFMNP is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/ .

Additional information about Maine’s Senior FarmShare Program can be found at http://www.getrealmaine.com/farmshare