-
All six New England states are expanding their own farm to institution networks to enhance collaboration within their state. By connecting advocates and identifying common challenges and shared areas of interest, network members will achieve together more than they could individually. The metrics on this page are a result of our research: learn about our data sources.
-
Connecticut
The Constitution State
Between schools, colleges, and hospitals, Connecticut institutions spend more than $27 million on local food and serve more than 15 million meals each year.
Highlights
- More than 80 school systems have reported using Connecticut grown product in their cafeterias.
- Forty‐five Connecticut farm businesses offer direct sales to schools and eighty farmers provide major wholesale produce houses with CT Grown product (e.g., vegetables, fruits, and dairy) to our schools.
- Nine major wholesalers are committed to selling Connecticut grown to schools.
Contacts
- Farm to School: Jiff Martin, Sustainable Food System Associate Educator for University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension
- Farm to College: Tania Taranovski, Farm to Institution New England and New England Farm & Sea to Campus Network
Connecticut: State Profile (pdf) Connecticut: Policy Snapshot (pdf)
-
Maine
The Pine Tree State
Between schools, colleges, and hospitals, Maine institutions spend more than $9 million on local food and serve more than 8 million meals each year.
Maine Farm to Institution (MEFTI) is a multi-sector network of people from institutions, nonprofits, farms, government agencies and other entities involved in the food system. MEFTI brings people together from different sectors to share best practices, exchange information, provide training opportunities, and promote local food.
Their goal is to get colleges, hospitals, schools and other institutions to buy more Maine-grown foods. They seek ideas and input from other farm-to-institution stakeholders to create a sharing network that will accelerate this goal. A cross-sector approach will help create a network that improves Maine’s food economy.
MEFTI supports developing the supply and increasing the consumption of Maine-grown food in Maine institutions in order to give more people access to healthy foods while also strengthening the local economy. They value sustainable agriculture practices and fair jobs in the food system as a foundation for this work.
Contacts
- Farm to School: Renee Page, Executive Director, Healthy Communities of the Capital Area
- Farm to College: Tania Taranovski, Farm to Institution New England and New England Farm & Sea to Campus Network
-
Massachusetts
Photo credit: Robby Herbert The Bay State
Between schools, colleges, and hospitals, Massachusetts institutions spend more than $30 million on local food and serve more than 45 million meals each year.
Highlights
- More than half of the students at public schools in Massachusetts get to eat locally grown foods
- More than 80 private schools and colleges preferencially purchase locally grown food
- Over 110 farms across the state sell their products, including fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy, wheat, honey, and maple syrup directly to one or more institution
Contacts
- Farm to School: Simca Horwitz, Massachusetts Farm to School
- Farm to College: Tania Taranovski, Farm to Institution New England and New England Farm & Sea to Campus Network
Massachusetts: State Profile (PDF) Massachusetts: Policy Snapshot (pdf)
-
New Hampshire
Image
The Granite State
Between schools, colleges, and hospitals, New Hampshire institutions spend more than $7 million on local food and serve more than 12 million meals each year.
Highlights
- New Hampshire Farm to School reaches about 300 schools across the state
- Over 40 New Hampshire farms provide schools with fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy, eggs, and other agricultural products.
- Seacoast colleges, hospitals and schools are serving locally caught seafood
Contacts
- Farm to School: Stacey Purslow, New Hampshire Farm to School Program, University of New Hampshire
- Farm to College: Tania Taranovski, Farm to Institution New England and New England Farm & Sea to Campus Network
New Hampshire: State Profile (PDF) New Hampshire: Policy Snapshot (pdf)
-
Rhode Island
The Ocean State
Between schools, colleges, and hospitals, Rhode Island institutions spend more than $25 million on local food and serve more than 5 million meals each year.
Highlights
- All 36 public school districts in the state have purchased Rhode Island grown for use in school lunch in the past year
- Since tracking began in 2006, Rhode Island grown produce purchases have increased more than tenfold
Contacts
- Farm to School: Stephanie Bush, Farm to School Coordinator, Farm Fresh Rhode Island
- Farm to College: Tania Taranovski, Farm to Institution New England and New England Farm & Sea to Campus Network
Rhode Island: State Profile (PDF) Rhode Island: Policy Snapshot (PDF)
-
Vermont
Image
The Green Mountain State
Between schools, colleges, and hospitals, Vermont institutions spend more than $9 million on local food and serve more than 13 million meals each year.
Highlights
- Farm to school efforts in Vermont started in 2000
- Since 2006, the state has offered funding through the Vermont Farm to School Grant Program
- The Vermont government has invested over $700,000 in farm to institution efforts to support program development, technical assistance and capital improvements
- More than 200 Vermont schools have some level of farm to school programming
- The Vermont Farm to School Network brings together advocates and practitioners who run programs that advance greater food system awareness in classrooms, cafeterias and communities
- Vermont has a higher percentage of school districts with edible gardens or orchards than the rest of New England
- Learn more about the farm to institution movement in Vermont on our blog.
Contacts
- Farm to College: Tania Taranovski, Farm to Institution New England and New England Farm & Sea to Campus Network
Image
