Building on the process of gradually welcoming diverse partners from many community sectors, FARMS grew to include parents, teachers, administrators, food service workers, farmers, doctors, economic developers, community groups and state officials. This gradual expansion of partners led to a series of key events starting in the Fall of 2006.

Farm to School Forum, Nov. 2006

Building on nearly 2 years of initiatives in local schools, a Farm to School Forum at the Great Salt Bay School, co-hosted by Rising Tide Cooperative Store and FARMS drew about 175 people, and celebrated the extensive and diverse sense of community ownership of the FARMS project.

Karen Baldacci, the First Lady, educator, dietician and proponent of sustainable agriculture, served as keynote. Agriculture Commissioner Seth Brandstreet and Maine School Food Service Association President Ron Adams, were guest speakers. A panel of 9 experts - farmers, educators, PTO, health care providers - discussed the benefits and challenges of direct purchase of local foods. 160 attended including many parents citizens, health care providers, farmers, the school board and other policy makers.
Outcomes included:
  1. Formal Board support for direct purchase if sound economic approach can be devised.
  2. Local commerical and established family farmer Dick Spear guaranteed wholesale price for corn to school
  3. Negotiations with U74 food service director to establish minimum purchasing guidelines
  4. Food service survey - collaborative effort of PTO, Food Service, Lincoln County Econ Dev. Office and FARMS
See Benefits and Challenges Document in FARM Files section.

FARMS Roundtable, Jan. 2007

As a follow-up to the Nov. 06 Forum, about 75 people gathered on Jan. 18, 07 to roll up their sleeves and get to work on strategic planning to further develop FARMS.

Workgroups were formed around the following areas:
• Production, purchase and distribution infrastructure
• Education and Curriculum Development
• Funding
• Governance

See Roundtable Questions Document on FARM files page.

FARMS Board, May '07

In pursuit of formalizing this project, and expanding the role of key partners, the FARMS Board was formed in May of 2007. Local folks represented all the key sectors participating and supporters from statewide groups like the Dept of Education and Agriculture, the Maine Food Service Association, and the Healthy Maine Partnerships also joined the effort.

Following a summer break, the Board continues to meet monthly to develop plans and policies to strengthen the FARMS project.

FARMS Appointed Lead for National F2S Network, Sept. '07

In September, the parent organization of FARMS, the Lincoln County Economic Development Office operating under a contract with Coastal Enterprises Inc., was notified it has been chosen to share the newly created position of Rural Lead Agency with Vermont FEED (the Farm to School program in Vt.)

This new position is a regional organizing job focused at strengthening F2S in the Northeast. The National Farm to School Network recently received a major grant to fund the work of 8 regional organizers around the country.

FARMS hosting of Amy Winston, the LCEDO staffer, in this position should be a huge boost to F2S programs not only in Maine, but around the Northeast.