The Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute is a year-long professional development program designed for Maine K-12 schools, districts, and early childhood programs
As a participant in this program, you will attend as part of a team from your school, district, or ECE community, with members representing a variety of roles. Over the year, you will build relationships, skills, and a shared action plan for growing Farm & Sea to School (FSTS) programming in your community.
By the end of the Institute, teams are equipped with the tools, resources, and shared leadership to support one another and carry out their FSTS action plans across their school or district with the support of an entire network.
Watch the Institute in Action
video from Just One Look Media https://www.justonelookmedia.com/
Teams emerge from the Institute year with:
A place-based Farm & Sea to School plan with commitment across the school community
Ongoing access to technical resources and financial opportunities to support the program into the future
A clear vision, purpose, and set of values for the school food community
“The institute will train school communities and other stakeholders to establish their own farm to school programs and explore approaches to promote student nutrition education, including school gardens and local food sourcing.”
— UMaine News
Want to learn more?
In the News
Maine school lunch trays are being taken over by locally grown foods
“Between 25 and 30 percent of the overall food budget in the Falmouth school department is spent on locally grown, raised and processed ingredients either directly from farmers or on food grown by students on the Falmouth school campuses. School districts around Maine are doing the same thing and now…”
Maine Partners Launch Farm to School Institute with Support from USDA Service-Learning Grant
“A new Maine Farm to School Institute for rural middle and high schools will focus on sourcing local food and cultivating student leadership in food and agriculture.The U.S.”
Collins, King Announce Nearly $225,000 to Expand Sustainable, Nutritious Meal Options in Maine Schools
“Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the University of Maine has received a total of $224,963 to create a new Maine Farm to School Institute, which will connect schools with locally grown food and educate rural middle and high school students about nutrition.”
New Farm to School Institute being created for Maine
ORONO — A new Maine Farm to School Institute for rural middle and high schools will focus on promoting and sourcing local food, and educating students about what they eat.
Maine’s 1st Farm & Sea to School Institute Launch
New program launched to bring more local food to Maine schools
“Every school district is unique, with resources available to them, and so by schools developing their own plan, it really fits their community, their needs, what they have going on and where they want to go with farm to school," Falmouth School Nutrition Director Martha Poliquin…”
Maine Partners Launch Farm to School Institute with Support from USDA Service-Learning Grant
“A new Maine Farm to School Institute for rural middle and high schools will focus on sourcing local food and cultivating student leadership in food and agriculture.The U.S.”
Collins, King Announce Nearly $225,000 to Expand Sustainable, Nutritious Meal Options in Maine Schools
“Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the University of Maine has received a total of $224,963 to create a new Maine Farm to School Institute, which will connect schools with locally grown food and educate rural middle and high school students about nutrition.”
New Farm to School Institute being created for Maine
ORONO — A new Maine Farm to School Institute for rural middle and high schools will focus on promoting and sourcing local food, and educating students about what they eat.