Bumper Crop: An employee benefit pays local dividends to healthy food producers
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NORWAY — The Federation of Maine Farmers’ Markets is searching for business enterprise associates in the Oxford Hills region to market healthful feeding on though supporting group farms.
The program, identified as Bumper Crop, presents companies with gift certificates to distribute to their workforce as an employee gain. The certificates are to be used at local community farmers’ markets to purchase healthier, domestically developed food items. Producers redeem the certificates for payment by the federation, which tracks employee participation and collects the money from the enterprise.
Corporations spend the federation regular for their employees’ redeemed vouchers they bear no expense for unused present certificates.
The program launched in 2019 as a pilot job with the town of Bangor and a grant from its health and fitness insurance policies supplier. In 2020, a few businesses took part, with 300 workers incentivized to shop at nearby markets.
Last calendar year, participation in Bumper Crop was extended to 23 companies and 36 farmers’ markets across the point out. In the Oxford Hills area staff of MaineHealth, Norway Personal savings Lender and Lee Car group ended up ready to use their reward certificates at the Alan Day Local community Farmers’ Market place at 26 Whitman St. in Norway and the Waterford Farmers’ Market place on the Waterford Flat village prevalent on Routes 35/37.
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Alan Day Group Garden also dispersed the $5 vouchers to consumers at its Friday farmers’ industry to raise their customers’ alternatives for wholesome meals. Rocky Crockett, govt director for the yard, mentioned the system labored perfectly, benefiting producers as properly as buyers.
“We included (Bumper Crop) midseason very last year,” Hannah Courtroom, proprietor of Wandering Route Farm in Waterford and industry manager for the Waterford Farmers’ Market, stated. Even late, “we had good accomplishment with it. We are even now examining our options for this spring but I expect we will continue on with it.”
Staff at Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway acquired Bumper Crop present certificates by MaineHealth’s participation in the program, in accordance to Jennifer Fogg, the hospital’s community relations and advancement professional.
“Stephens is proud to assistance our local farmers though marketing healthier eating for our staff customers,” Fogg wrote in an electronic mail. “Team members generate vouchers by demonstrating our organizational values (affected individual centered, respect, integrity, excellence, possession, or innovation) or participating in wellness initiatives presented all over the spring and summer.
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“Our staff had been equipped to use their vouchers at any taking part sector in Maine,” she wrote.
Business enterprise homeowners and professionals who want to study far more about Bumper Crop may possibly go to the federation’s internet site at mainefarmersmarkets.org/bumpercrop/, or call federation Government Director Jimmy DeBiasi at 207-370-1524 or [email protected].
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