Pilot 2: Maine Farm Surplus Opportunity Buy Report

Goals 

To help connect Maine farmers with surplus food to large, institutional customers.

Methodology 

1. Every week we reach out to Maine farmers and determine if they have any surplus food that they would like to sell.
2. This list is sent to institutions that are seeking affordable food in large quantities.
3. The institution can then pick up which surplus foods they want to purchase and where they will pick it up. All proceeds go directly to the farmer.

Results 

• We learned that because surplus food varies every week, it is difficult to process traditionally. But, in cases like the Maine Department of Corrections, it means they can have access to varieties of local produce every week at a great price.
• This program helps Maine farmers generate income from produce that would otherwise have gone to waste.
• This program helps create a surplus marketplace. In other words, the program is not intended to create long-term buying relationships, it is only for isolated cases of surplus.

This is the Maine Surplus Opportunity Report template.