The University of Maine System has reached its goal of feeding its campuses with 20 percent locally grown food two years ahead of schedule, officials say.
In the fall 2017 semester, 23 percent of the food served at Maine’s public universities came from local sources. That represents about $770,000 in sales from local growers and producers, and the officials say they expect to spend about $1.5 million on local food this fiscal year.
“Our local food commitment builds a stronger statewide economy, keeps more dollars in our communities, offers better and healthier choices for our students, and leverages the purchasing power of the universities to build job-creating distribution channels that connect local producers with large institutional customers,” UMS Commissioner James Page said in a news release.
Sodexo, an international food services firm, received a dining services contractfor six of the system’s seven campuses in July 2016. As part of its bid, Sodexo pledged to help UMaine reach its goal of providing 20 percent local food by 2020. The flagship campus in Orono handles its own dining operations and has its own 20 percent local commitment, which it expects to reach later this year.
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