Senior Farmshare program

Senior Farmshare program

Rep. McCabe announces applications open for
Senior Farmshare program

AUGUSTA – Rep. Jeff McCabe, D-Skowhegan, announced Wednesday that applications for the Maine Senior Farmshare program will be available beginning March 4. The program is a partnership between the Maine Department of Agriculture and farmers throughout Maine, and is designed to provide seniors with up to $50 in free nutritious local produce during the summer growing season.

"This is a wonderful program that serves as a model, which connects local growers and local seniors,” said McCabe. “Maine Senior Farmshare provides high quality food and important social connections."

To qualify, Maine seniors must be at least 60 years old or 55 if a Native American, and either live independently with an individual yearly income of not more than $19,240 or have a combined yearly household income with a spouse or partner of not more than $25,900.

“This program provides healthy food to seniors and supports local farmers,” McCabe said. “By using local food, this program keeps Maine residents from contributing to the economic and environmental toll of shipping food across country when we’ve got better produce in our own backyards.”

In order to apply for the program, seniors should contact Spectrum Generations for income eligibility. Then, to receive their $50 in shares, they may sign up with a participating local farmer to select the types of produce and arrange pick up and delivery schedules. Farmers are prepaid by the Maine Department of Agriculture, and the program is funded through a permanent grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Participating farms offer at least five different types of produce each week throughout a 10-week growing season. They also must offer the fruits and vegetables at the same price or a lower cost than they charge to the general public.

For more information and to learn more about other programs available, seniors may contact McCabe at or Spectrum Generations at 399-3185. Additional details on the program can be found at http://www.getrealmaine.com/connect/farmshare/senior.html.