CLF program helps farmers and food businesses succeed
June 15, 2017 (PORTLAND, ME) – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) announced today that its Maine Legal Food Hub, a first-of-its-kind initiative pairing local farmers and food entrepreneurs with pro bono legal services, has hit the 100-case milestone. Launched in Boston during the summer of 2014 and expanding into Maine the following year, CLF’s Legal Food Hub has helped start and grow over 250 small farms and food businesses across New England.
“From local innovators to the small farms that blanket our state, our food economy is at the heart of Maine’s cultural identity,” said CLF advocate Phelps Turner. “CLF’s Legal Food Hub helps these food businesses move beyond costly legal needs so they can focus on growing, thriving and providing for the community. Today this program hits a major milestone, but the work of creating local and sustainable food systems across Maine is far from over.”
Streamside Farm in Brooks, Folklore Farm in Cherryfield, White’s Farm in Winterport, Dovetail Family Farm in Steuben, Heiwa Tofu in Belfast, and SeaMade Seaweed Company in Portland are among the Maine small businesses that have been paired with free assistance through CLF’s Legal Food Hub. Interested parties should contact the Hub at legalfoodhub@clf.org.
CLF’s Maine Hub was recently featured in Maine Magazine and will be participating in the Portland Food Launch and Festival on June 22.
CLF experts are available for comment. For further background on the Legal Food Hub, visit http://www.legalfoodhub.org.
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