Our Mission
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Maine farms grow an array and abundance of food during the growing season; some might be considered off-grade (meaning not retail quality) yet it is perfect for use by anybody - just not the eye-appealing product many consumers are looking for, a crooked carrot, a cucumber that is a little pudgy or green beans that aren’t perfectly straight, but they taste good and are nutritious. These will be purchased and moved to food pantries or processed for distribution at later date.
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Address food loss & build a labor pool.
Food loss (aka food waste) is experienced by most farms. It is estimated that over 30% is left in the field. This occurs for many reasons: no market, labor, excess, or need to move to the next planting. Farms for Food Equity will work with farms to harvest these products. Initially, this will be through gleaners, ultimately it will be through trained labor that can then be hired as skilled farm laborers.
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Farms for Food Equity will seek to identify and implement new market opportunities for their partner farms (and other Maine Farms); by seeking markets outside of the charitable food system for surplus and imperfect products.
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Excess to “put up” & help train food preparation.
There are times during the season when there is an abundance of products, such as zucchini, corn, strawberries, or other products. Many times these might be left behind - Farms For Food Equity wants to do some light processing and make them available to food pantries and soup kitchens during the off-season - through a partnership with Wayside Food Programs and Rosemont Market’s warehouse this will be possible.
Penny Jordan, Founder
“Always seeking ways to change the world or my little part of it”
How it Started.
I’m Penny Jordan, founder of Farms for Food Equity. I learned at an early age that growing food is not just about creating a viable business, it also about feeding all people. I always say that farms grow food to feed people - all people!
I also know as a farm business owner that it is difficult at times to shift focus from the season and moving product to customers to harvesting for food pantries, food banks, and soup kitchens. It isn’t that people don’t want to move product in that direction, it’s that when it doesn’t fit into the natural process it draws on resources that could be used in other places; balance is key to a viable operation.
My goal with Farms for Food Equity is to create a win-win for farms and people that are experiencing food insecurity. I believe my experience as a farm business owner and my experience working with food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens have brought me to the point of realizing my dream - growing food to feed people and contributing to the vitality of Maine farms.
When I was growing up on the farm I am part of today it wasn't about just moving surplus it was about making sure that people in our community had access to food and if there was extra beyond what could go to market - Good Shepherd Food Bank was a phone call away. I now want to carry on that tradition of working to ensure people have food (healthy food) - the growth of Maine agriculture is vital to that goal.
To learn more contact me via text or voice @ 207-671-5341 or email
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