Bowdoin College
( Brunswick ME 04011-8428 )
Contact Name:
Jon Wiley
Contact Title:
Purchasing Manager
Telephone:
(207) 725-3432
E-Mail:
jwiley@bowdoin.edu
Program Web Site:
www.bowdoin.edu
Who was most responsible for initiating your farm-to-college program?

Dining/food services personnel
In what year did the program begin?

Other, please specify:
Are students actively involved in maintaining the program?

yes
How are the students involved in the program?

Coordinating purchase/delivery of products

Food preparation

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Menu/event planning
In what ways, if any, would you like students to be involved in the program?

Researching costs/benefits of local purchasing
What role, if any, have cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals played in the farm-to-college program?

Facilitator for certain program components

Resource/contact person
What role, if any, would be useful for cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals to play in the farm-to-college program?

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)
Who runs/is primarily responsible for the farm-to-college program? (please choose primary person/group in charge)

Purchasing manager/department
Where do the majority of your locally purchased farm products come from?

State-wide
What are the primary local farm products you purchase? (please list top 3-5 items)

Other, please specify:
Are any of these local food products organically grown?

yes

yes
Approximately how much, in dollars, does dining/food services spend annually on local farm products?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
What is the approximate total number of individual farmers you purchase products from during an entire calendar year?

More than 20 farmers

More than 20 farmers
Who/where are local products purchased from?

Campus/student farm or garden

Farmer-managed cooperative(s)
If you work with a farmer-managed cooperative, other farmer network, or distributor that carries local farm products, please write in as much of the the following information as possible - Name, Complete mailing address, Phone, Email, Website.

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
Are local food products used in...

Catering

Regular menus

Special events
Was external funding or other resources (grants, equipment, etc.) used to...

Start the program
Have any of the following individuals or groups been directly involved in development, coordination, education or promotion related to the farm-to-college program?

Campus sustainability center(s)

Community/local/state environmental organization(s)

Faculty member(s)

Farmer association(s)

Student environmental organization(s)

University department(s)
Is there a local farmer's organization (i.e., a cooperative) involved in your program that was in place prior to the program's start?

Other, please specify:
Have you used any of the following to promote the program or enhance its educational value?

Information in dining locations about the program

Press releases

Speakers/demonstrations

Special events (eg., local foods dinner)
What, if any, other environmental initiatives on your campus are connected with the farm-to-college program?

College/student farm

Composting program

Herb/kitchen garden

Nutrition education

Packaging reduction program

Recycling program

Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects
Are there any bidding requirements for purchasing local food?

no

no
Do local products cost more on average?

yes

yes
If yes, how do you manage the higher price?

Reduce costs elsewhere to make up the difference
What do you see as the most significant barriers to starting or sustaining farm-to-college programs?

Coordinating purchase/delivery of products

Product quality
What do you see as the most significant benefits from farm-to-college programs?

Lower environmental impacts

Supporting local farmers, community and/or economy
Of the following policy issues, please choose up to two, if any, that you believe would provide the most significant support for farm-to-college programs:

Grants/subsidies to help farmers build season extenders

Grants/subsidies to help farmers shift to more sustainable production and direct marketing
What strategies, if any, do you recommend for making farm-to-college programs work?

Get college/university administrative support

Start small, such as planning a local foods dinner
Is dining/food services:

Self-operated

Self-operated
Total number of individual meals served daily in locations operated by dining/food services:

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
Does food services use a (please choose most appropriate answer):

Mixed plan

Mixed plan
What is dining/food services' approximate annual budget for food?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify: