Take Action to support State Funding for MHB
Click here for a template and talking points for submitting testimony. SAVE THE DATE: the hearing is Monday, 2/27, at 1pm. We’d love for you to read your testimony LIVE via Zoom, if possible.
Help spread the word. Share this page and our graphics (click here) on social media and other communication channels!
- PRIORITY! Sign up for Zoom testimony or submit Written Testimony Online for our upcoming hearing:
- Click here to begin. Then click “Public Hearing”.
- Then click: “Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry” from the drop-down menu.
- Then, under “Choose Date”, click “Feb 27 2023 1:00pm”
- Then, click LD 568 – you’ll see options below to submit written testimony or sign up for Zoom.
- The hearing is Monday, 2/27, at 1pm. We’d love for you to read your testimony LIVE via Zoom, if possible.
- Email or call your local representative and senator, and tell them to support LD 568
- It makes a BIG difference for legislators to hear from you. They don’t hear from us enough!
- Tell them to please make sure the funding is continuous (ongoing) and at the $600,000 per year allocation.
- See info below on reasons why to support, or share your own story.
Learn more about State Funding to Support MHB
Read our 1-pager and share with your local elected officials.
Why now?
Nutrition incentive programs, like Maine Harvest Bucks, boost small business viability and rural economies. State funding is the natural progression for nutrition incentive programs across the country, including in MA and NH. There are unprecedented funding challenges on the near horizon without state funds (A funding gap of over $170k for MHB at farmers’ markets, alone).
Overview & Context in Maine
Millions of dollars of federal SNAP/EBT funds (formerly known as food stamps) are spent in Maine every month to help Mainers meet their dietary needs. Our programs incentivize shoppers to keep those dollars in the local economy, going to local Maine farmers and food producers. These shoppers get more food for their dollar, thanks to our incentives.
MFFM, as part of a network of organizations that run nutrition incentive programs, requests an annual ongoing allocation of $600,000 per year ($1.2 million for the biennial) be allocated to the State Fund to Address Food Security and Provide Nutrition Incentives housed within the DACF. We request that this budget be funded continuously to support and strengthen the excellent nutrition incentive programs benefiting every Maine county.
Nutrition incentive programs in Maine, like Maine Harvest Bucks and Farm Fresh Rewards, boost local farm viability while helping low-income Mainers eat healthier and stretch their limited food assistance dollars. Our programs incentivize low-income Mainers using SNAP/EBT to spend their food dollars with local farmers and food producers at farmers’ markets, farm stands, CSA’s and stores.
- Every year, over 200 Maine farmers and food producers benefit from the additional sales through this program.
- Every $1 of state support yields $2 from the federal government, $1 from a matching USDA grant and $1 from SNAP, to provide low-income shoppers using SNAP additional purchasing power to buy local fruits and vegetables from Maine producers.
- Our programs led to over $1.2 million in sales to Maine producers in 2021 alone
- Nutrition incentive programs benefit Mainers in all 16 counties, and state funding will allow for further expansion to rural and under-served communities in Maine.
- Over 10,000 Maine households benefit each year.
- The majority of participants report feeling healthier, learning to cook new nutritious foods, and relying less on the emergency food system.
These programs boost small business viability and rural economies. State funding is the natural progression for nutrition incentive programs across the country, including in MA and NH. There are unprecedented funding challenges on the near horizon without state funds.