ADVISORY: TUESDAY—Pingree to visit summer meal site in Portland and farmers market in Augusta with top Obama Administration official Contact: Andrew Colvin, (202) 527-4681 (Pingree) Eddie Ortega, (617) 699-7283 (USDA) WHAT: Congresswoman Chellie Pingree will join the top Obama Administration official in charge of federal nutrition programs—USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon—to see on-the-ground efforts to […]
USDA
Data on SNAP sales at Maine Markets
July 8, 2016 CategoriesThe chart below illustrates recent growth in the amount of SNAP benefits that are being used to purchase local foods. Although the majority of those federal dollars are still being spent at mass retailers, there has been remarkable growth in the number of families using their SNAP benefits to shop locally. It’s also important to note […]
Update your farmers’ market USDA listing by July 15
June 28, 2016 Categories
The USDA’s listing of farmers’ markets relies on market managers to update the listings, so this is one directory each market must update individually. With a lot of publicity coming down the pike for National Farmers’ Market Week (August 7-13, to be celebrated here as Maine Farmers’ Market Snapshot Week), now is the time to make […]
SNAP Nutrition Incentives: a Win-Win Initiative
June 27, 2016 CategoriesClick here to learn about Maine Harvest Bucks. No state has yet found a way to define “junk food” and effectively limit SNAP recipients from using their benefits for its purchase. Many farms and farmers’ markets in Maine accept SNAP benefits, and in those venues, the benefits are primarily used for healthy, local food options. […]
Maine Harvest Bucks workshops
April 22, 2016 CategoriesA series of Maine Harvest Bucks workshops and other preparations for year 2 of the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grant program have kept us busy over the last couple of months. Below is the slideshow from the workshop, which includes links to various tools and templates available to help organize your market’s Maine Harvest Bucks […]