Eat Local Foods Coalition: Connecting Nutritionists and Farmers

View the project final report

• 2004 annual report
• 2005 annual report

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: demonstration, workshop
• Farm Business Management: marketing management
• Sustainable Communities: public participation, urban/rural integration

Maine’s Eat Local Foods Coalition is committed to bringing farmers and consumers closer together. One piece that has been missing, between both groups, is a sense of the nutritional benefits of eating fresh local food. This PDP proposal is focused on two specific information gaps: helping nutrition educators get a better understanding of how and where to connect with local farmers; and encouraging more farmers to include nutrition information in their marketing materials (signage, brochure, recipes) for the general public.

1) Of the 46 Cooperative Extension nutrition staff, 23 will attend the proposed workshop and 15 will pass on information gleaned from the workshop to their clients, who, in turn, will integrate the information into their daily lives. This performance target addresses the issue of Northeast agriculture "providing healthful products to its customers."

2) Of the 32 Cooperative Extension agricultural staff, at least 10 will attend the proposed workshop and 5 will pass ideas gleaned from the workshop to their farmer-clients, who, in turn, will improve their farming enterprises, by providing more nutrition information and recipes to consumers. This performance target addresses the issue of Northeast agriculture being conducted "by farmers hav[ing] a positive influence on their communities."

MILESTONES

1) At least 23 of the 46 Cooperative Extension nutrition educators, at least 10 of 32 Cooperative Extension agricultural educators, and other non-Extension nutrition educators will attend a one-day workshop to discuss ways to make connections with farmers on the basis of nutrition.

2) At least 15 of 23 nutrition educators will provide clients and contacts with improved information on how to connect with local farmers and why it is beneficial for them to do so.

3) At least 5 of 10 agricultural educators will give farmers nutrition information and recipes they can integrate into their marketing programs, with examples of how other farmers are doing this successfully elsewhere.