Local agriculture is a vital part of life in Maine. Our sense of place, our economy, and even our health can be tied to local food production.
A Partnership for Farmland: In the first of three video interviews, Maine Community Foundation President and CEO Meredith Jones speaks with Maine Farmland Trust Executive Director John Piotti about why farming is so important to Maine's economy.
Maine has a strong agricultural heritage, boasting more than 1.3 million acres of farmland. Agriculture contributes $1.2 billion to the state's economy. Growth in community supported agriculture, farmers' markets, organic farms, and farm-to-school initiatives indicates that the sector is ripe for support.
Preserving Maine Farms: The Economic Impact: Maine Farmland Trust CEO John Piotti speaks on MFT's Buy/Protect/Sell program and MaineCF's role in supporting this crucial work to preserve farmland in Maine.
MaineCF has been working with donors to explore the connections between their philanthropic interests and public, private, and nonprofit efforts to promote and grow healthy food and healthy communities.
Buy/Protect/Sell: Investing in Maine Farms: MaineCF and several donors with an interest in local, sustainable agriculture made a low-interest loan of $1 million to the Maine Farmland Trust for its Buy/Protect/Sell program. In this video, Maine Farmland Trust CEO John Piotti describes how the PRI works and how it has helped the trust purchase 3,000 acres of vulnerable farmland in the past two years.
In partnership with donors, MaineCF hopes to make more funds available for this vital work and to contribute to the groundswell of awareness about the role that local food production plays in providing a sense of place, fostering economic opportunity, improving health and well-being, and building community.