MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta and Waterville has partnered with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) to bring fresh, locally grown produce to patients, visitors and employees — and at the same time support local farmers.
Last fall, MOFGA received a two-year $68,450 grant from the USDA’s Farmers Market Promotion Program to work with MaineGeneral to increase the health care system’s purchases of foods from growers in Kennebec and Somerset counties. MaineGeneral is spending a major portion of its produce budget with area growers.
“We’re very enthusiastic about this program because it has multiple benefits,” said Chuck Hays, MaineGeneral Medical Center chief executive officer. “We want to set an example for healthy eating in our communities, reduce the amount of emissions by cutting down on the distance food travels, help sustain Maine farmers and boost the local economy.”
In addition to buying locally, MaineGeneral will provide nutrition education to patients and visitors and establish incentives for employees to buy local foods.
MOFGA, the largest and oldest state organic organization, works to increase local food production and consumption. Through this grant, MOFGA also will train to farmers on how to supply institutional markets like MaineGeneral.
“MOFGA is excited to work with MaineGeneral to showcase the potential for health care facilities to support Maine’s farming community while providing a real service to their patients and employees,” said Melissa White Pillsbury, MOFGA organic marketing coordinator.
According to Jean Gauthier, MaineGeneral director of Food & Nutrition, the move from farm to hospital will involve developing new menus to use seasonal ingredients whenever possible and training kitchen staff to prepare meals with whole ingredients.
Fresher foods mean better nutrition, Gauthier added. “By buying locally, we will reduce the time from ground to plate, which means the produce is much richer in healthy nutrients.”
Promoting healthy eating and reducing waste is not new to MaineGeneral. “When we brought room service online in our Augusta and Thayer campuses, we started cooking patient meals on demand from a large menu. We’ve already significantly reduced the amount of food wasted and have moved toward much more healthy offerings,” Gauthier said.
And for the past several years, MaineGeneral has been the major sponsor of the Downtown Waterville Farmers Market and the Farmers Market at Mill Park, Augusta.
“This is a logical next step for us. Healthy, sustainable communities is the theme of what we’re doing,” Hays added.