Local Food Switchboard

The Local Food Switchboard Project, will use the Maine Food Atlas to coordinate logistics services and connect various stakeholders in Maine's local food system. It will provide detailed information on food infrastructure, production capacities, and resources, with an operator responsible for updating inventory and maintaining communication along the supply chain, facilitating efficient local food procurement and enhancing access to locally sourced foods for schools. 

 The switchboard will collect data and connections around: 

  • Infrastructure

    Food infrastructure, such as processing facilities, storage facilities, and distribution businesses.

  • Product

    Food businesses that produce and/or purchase raw or value-added goods, including product information

  • Resources

    Food industry resources that provide technical, financial, grant writing, and workforce development assistance.

Advisory Team

  • Susan Olcott

    Maine Coast Fishermen's Association

    Read Interview

  • Leah Rovner

    New England Food System Planners Partnership

    Read Interview

  • Courtney Crossgrove

    FocusMaine

    Read Interview

  • Abby Snell

    Fork Food Lab

    Read Interview

  • Sarah Speare

    Tootie's Tempeh

  • Brittany Peats

    Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

    Read Interview

  • Darcy Cooke

    The Maine Network of Community Food Councils

  • Mike Flynn

    Sheepscot Valley RSU #12

  • Katherine Bessey

    Cooperative Development Institute

  • Katie Knowles

    Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition

  • Katelyn Porter

    NH Food Alliance

    Read Interview

  • Doug Clopp

    Maine Farm & Sea Cooperative

  • Chris Linder

    Cooperative Fund of the Northeast

    Read Interview

Goals of the Switchboard Project

  • Build relationships with food supply chain actors across Maine

  • Identify opportunities to maximize the use of existing food infrastructure and equipment across Maine; supporting small business access to infrastructure and markets

  • Increase local food procurement in Maine schools

  • Increase food system efficiency and decrease input costs for processors by supporting expanded food storage and processing infrastructure and the movement of seconds or excess fresh product for processing

  • Provide data on food supply chain needs so that investors, policymakers and service providers have a better understanding of where resources can be deployed for greatest impact

Timeline of Project

Year 1: Research & Design

> Gather an advisory team

> Design the infrastructure, product, and resources inventory process, data points, and interface of the Maine Food Atlas.

> Determine locations for cold storage units

> Conduct data gathering with high school student research teams and local food councils.

Year 2: Pilot Year

> Pilot services focused on school procurement

> Purchase and place 2 cold storage units

> Continue gathering inventory data

Year 3: Full Implementation/Scaling

> Scale up participation and membership in the Switchboard platform

> Purchase and place 2 more cold storage units

> Leverage insights from years 1 and 2 to develop a sustainable fundraising and revenue strategy.

> Enhance the Switchboard's functionality and outreach efforts based on user feedback.

Year 4: Project Sustaining & Report Release

> Increase participation/membership 

> Purchase and place 2 final cold storage units

> Conduct analysis of project outcomes and release a report

Local Food Switchboard Project was awarded funding by Full Plates Full Potential and The USDA Food System Innovation Grant! This is part of the USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentive Initiative’s School Food System Transformation Challenge. 

This project is funded using U.S. Department of Agriculture Grant Funds.

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