Case Studies

Below are case studies, Performance Measures, that illustrate some of the ways Maine programs and projects are making measurable improvements to Maine’s food system. There are many more examples of programs doing great work advancing Framework goals, and we want to hear them!! Please visit the Share Your Story page for more information and to submit a case study that will be published here.

Goal I

Gulf of Maine Research Institute's Sustainable Seafood Program

In 2009, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) created the Sustainable Seafood program to advance economic and ecologic sustainability of the Gulf of Maine seafood industry. GMRI does this by working with industry leaders across the seafood supply chain to build market demand and empower consumers to find and buy seafood from the Gulf of Maine region, which spans from Nova Scotia to Cape Cod.

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Agricultural Resource Development Division

This case study will feature LaJoie Growers, an agricultural operation in Aroostook County, and highlight how their business has been impacted by MDACF’s programs and opportunities.

Goal II

Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy

The Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy is a network of more than 20 Maine-based companies, organizations, and individuals committed to investing in Maine’s vibrant marine economy through a 10-year, $14 million initiative. The Alliance’s mission is to ensure that Maine seafood, fishing, and aquaculture industries, and the natural and innovation ecosystems on which they depend are healthy and benefit Maine people and communities.

Slow Money Maine’s Loan Program

Inspired by Woody Tasch’s book Slow Money, Slow Money Maine (SMM) formed in 2010 to fill a perceived gap in financing for farms and start-up food businesses and to encourage people to invest locally. Since then, SMM has catalyzed investments of grants, equity, loans and technical assistance totaling more than $15.4 million to Maine farms and the food businesses that source from them.

Goal III

Maine AgrAbility

The Maine AgrAbility Project addresses health, safety, and the prevention of injuries across the state of Maine on the farm, on the water, and in the forest.

Goal IV

GrowSmart Maine

Smart growth values sustainability by favoring long-range, regional thinking over short-term fixes. Since 2003, GrowSmart Maine (GSM) has been actively bringing together Maine citizens, government, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to build lasting prosperity without sacrificing the quality of life that defines Maine.

Goal V

Liberation Farms

Liberation Farms was founded in 2014 by the Somali Bantu Community Association (SBCA) of Maine in response to a call from the Somali Bantu community to return to its agricultural roots. SBCA, an organization led and run by Somali Bantus, has been providing vital transitional services, advocacy, and programming since 2005 to the 3,000+ Bantus who resettled in Lewiston after escaping the civil war in Somalia.

Mainers Feeding Mainers

The Mainers Feeding Mainers program is a partnership between Good Shepherd Food Bank (GSFB) and Maine farms, dairies, fisheries, and other local producers to eliminate hunger in Maine. The goal is to get fresh, nutritious, Maine-harvested food to Maine families in need while supporting our rural communities by investing in local food producing businesses.