Convergence Catch
Linking People, Shaping Systems: The Local Food Switchboard + Convergence Event 2025
The Local Food Switchboard
The Local Food Switchboard is an ambitious new initiative designed to connect Maine’s fishermen, farmers, and food businesses to the infrastructure, markets, and resources they need to thrive. A project of the Maine Food Convergence Project, the Switchboard will take the form of an online platform and interactive map that centralizes information about Maine’s food system—making it easier for producers and institutions (especially schools) to find one another and strengthen local food procurement. The platform will be complemented by a human "Switchboard Operator" who will help coordinate supply chain logistics and maintain the system beyond the pilot phase.
Right now, the Switchboard team is hitting the road—literally. We’re in the midst of a Research Roadshow, traveling to communities across the state to hear directly from food system actors about what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest opportunities lie. Our approach is grounded in deep listening: by gathering lived experiences, real-time data, and local insights, we hope to design a tool that is truly responsive to the needs of Maine’s regional food economy.
So far, we’ve hosted gatherings in Presque Isle, Skowhegan, Unity, and Machias. Each of these events has not only surfaced valuable ideas and questions, but has also demonstrated the Switchboard’s central goal: to be a connector. In every location, producers have met new buyers, school nutrition staff have discovered potential partners, and cross-sector collaborations have taken root. As one farmer at the Presque Isle event shared, “What we did today was more fruitful for networking than the last event I attended with over 420 people.”
We’ve heard from attendees about the challenges of inconsistent delivery routes, the desire for more transparency in purchasing opportunities, and the need for shared infrastructure—like cold storage and processing facilities. We’ve also heard excitement about the Switchboard’s potential to streamline information, highlight underused resources, and break down silos across sectors.
And we’re just getting started. Through June, we have five more stops on our Research Roadshow. If we haven’t visited your region yet, we’d love to see you at an upcoming event! Can’t make it in person? Fill out our online survey to share your insights, or sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. We’ll be sharing research findings and inviting input on summer pilot activities soon.
The Switchboard is built on the belief that Maine’s food system is stronger when we’re connected. Join us as we work together to build a more resilient, transparent, and local supply chain.
Sign up for the Local Food Switchboard Newsletter
It’s almost here! The 2025 Convergence! Join us online AND in-person.
Our Virtual sessions start next week, register to secure your spot!
Join the Halal School Meals Network for a conversation on how community members, schools, and partners are working together to bring certified halal meals to students in Cumberland County, Maine. Speakers will guide attendees through the process, challenges, and lessons learned from the network’s efforts to ensure Muslim students have equitable access to Maine’s universal school meals. This session will include small group discussions and Q&A for collective problem-solving and share strategies for culturally inclusive school nutrition programs.
This session will highlight insights from supply chain coordination projects across the U.S., exploring challenges and solutions to inform The Local Food Switchboard’s role in streamlining procurement, expanding market access for all food businesses, and driving food system investments in Maine.
To learn more about ALL the sessions, and register for the in-person event and individual virtual click the button below:
