Federal designation may boost greater Portland as food production hub

The greater Portland area could be on the verge of becoming a larger food production hub than ever before, thanks to receiving a new and significant federal designation.

A powerhouse partnership of public and private industry groups is planning to launch an ambitious and multi-tiered sustainable food production program in greater Portland after it was selected to participate in a federal manufacturing initiative.

Greater Portland’s designation on Wednesday as part of the Obama administration’s "Investing in Manufacturing Communities" partnership initiative will give the sustainable food production program priority consideration for $1.3 billion in funding from several federal agencies, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program will also receive dedicated assistance from liaisons at 11 federal agencies.

The program, which is being led by the Greater Portland Council of Governments, seeks to boost the region's food economy, grow new and existing businesses and create new jobs with a multi-tiered approach that will involve the Maine Port Authority, Maine International Trade Center, Axiom Technologies, Maine Food Strategy, city of Portland and Gulf of Maine Research Institute, among many other partners.

Neal Allen, executive director of the Greater Portland Council of Governments, told Mainebiz in a phone interview that while the program will focus on the greater Portland area, he hopes it will have a statewide impact.

“It’s really a different approach to economic development than to lure big corporations into the state,”he said. “Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I think going to an asset-based approach is where Maine’s greatest opportunities lie.”

Among the program's plans is to build a 100,000-square-foot food warehouse on Portland's waterfront that will help address storage issues for local food producers, but also provide potential trade opportunities with shipping companies that can break down geographic barriers for food producers seeking new buyers.

“I think some of the facilities we have identified would be a benefit to Eimskip and other Portland [shipping companies],” Allen said.

The program also outlines a desire to revitalize the former Mountain Division freight rail line “to reduce the need for overland trucking.” The Greater Portland Council of Governments has been seeking to restore the 400-mile rail line, which runs between Portland's waterfront and Ogdensburg, New York. It closed in 1983.

In addition, the program proposes to:

• launch a new 10-week training program “to prepare workings in fields ranging from food safety and inspection to logistics;”

• start a new cooperative purchasing program for farmers and other agricultural entities “to aggregate volumes from producers and develop an IT solution to minimize supply chain waste;”

• link public and private research through the Greater Portland Sustainable Food Production Cluster research initiative;

• and coordinate a startup weekend in Portland that would give food entrepreneurs an opportunity to “pitch their ideas to multiple funders in lightning rounds.”

Allen said the program's federal designation by the Obama administration means it can apply for priority access to grants from several federal agencies to help fund many of these plans. He said even if the program doesn't receive any federal funding, which he finds unlikely, the program's partners are still interested in moving forward.

“We all agreed we have a little bit of a structure here, let’s not lose it regardless of the outcome,” Allen said. “This is a real catalyst to take it to a much higher level.”

Though there is not yet an established timeline on how to roll out the program, Allen said the federal designation lasts for five years, so he expects many of the program's plans will be executed within that period.

The greater Portland area was chosen by the Obama administration in a highly competitive application process that included more than 70 communities. It earned the designation based on the area's existing food production assets and its plans to “develop strategies in six areas: workforce and training, advanced research, infrastructure and site development, supply chain support, trade and international investment and operational improvement and capital access.”

“This significant announcement identifies Maine’s greater Portland region as a strategic leader with valuable assets supporting local and regional foods manufacturing and production, including the potential to increase manufacturing opportunities for rural residents in rural communities,” Virginia Manuel, state director of USDA Rural Development, said in a press release. “Through the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership Initiative designation, the Greater Portland Council of Governments will be poised to assist Maine’s dynamic local food production entrepreneurs to thrive and succeed.”

Greater Portland's partnership includes Southern Maine Community College and Coastal Counties Workforce Inc. as workforce providers; the University of Southern Maine, Maine Food Strategy and Jordan’s Farm as part of its manufacturing supplier network; and Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the University of New England for research and development.

It also includes the Maine Port Authority, city of Portland and Maine Sustainable Agricultural Society for infrastructure and site development; the Maine International Trade Center and Maine Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center for investment opportunities; and CEI (formerly known as Coastal Enterprises Inc.), Axiom Technologies and others for operational improvement and capital access.

CEI, MCF partner to boost rural development