Document Type

Honors Thesis

Publication Date

Spring 5-2016

Abstract

The University of Maine is a Land Grant Institution developed, among other reasons, to promote education in the agricultural sciences. Sustainable Agriculture emerged as a new discipline, reflecting the sentiment of the times. The concept of Community Supported Agriculture gained popularity in the United States in the late 1970s. In Maine, Community Supported Agriculture farms have increased steadily since their establishment in the United States. The University of Maine Black Bear Food Guild is an entirely student-run Community Supported Agriculture operation that provides several benefits to the university and the surrounding community. These benefits include: student learning, student work opportunities, supplemental field experience for physical science curricula, undergraduate and graduate research, faculty research, and community outreach and service. However, the Black Bear Food Guild needs financial support to expand the program and to ensure sustained success. The Black Bear Food Guild could be vastly improved by: raising awareness of the program within all Colleges at the University of Maine, the establishment of a more reliable volunteer base, and the introduction of a student manager position. Finally, financial assistance is necessary in order to ensure the Black Bear Food Guild’s future success.

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