The Maine Farm & Sea to School Institute is a year-long professional program for school food system change.
“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
What is the Maine Farm & Sea to School Institute?
The Institute supports Maine schools to increase healthy food access, create a culture of equity & wellness, and strengthen their local food systems.
The Institute brings school teams together to build relationships, skills, and a collaborative action plan for Farm & Sea to School (FSTS) programming. Team members leave ready to support one another and implement an FSTS action plan across their school or district—building shared leadership for the long haul. With the support of a Coach, teams spend the Institute year connecting Classroom, Cafeteria, and Community.
Watch the Institute in Action
Experience the Institute’s kick-off retreat—an in-person Academy Program where you build your Farm & Sea to School Action Plan with your school team and your assigned coach:
video from Just One Look Media https://www.justonelookmedia.com/
Join a community of school teams who have benefitted from the Institute
MSAD 17
RSU 22
RSU 89
RSU 71
RSU 12
West Bath School
Lawrence Jr/Sr High School
The Ecology Learning Center
Stratton School
Learn About the Institute and Build Your School Team
2024-2025
Learn more about this year’s application and selection guidelines.
Read the Press
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.